Link Collection — October 28, 2012

• Metamarkets open sources Druid, its in-memory database — Data | GigaOM

  Open source alternative to SAP Hana and Oracle TImes Ten:

  “Metamarkets is open sourcing its in-memory database technology called Druid. The rationale for open sourcing a key piece of its technology platform is both altruistic (better all!) and a savvy recognition that if the startup doesn’t do it, someone else will build it.”

  tags: database real-time in-memory druid metamarkets

• Cloudera makes SQL a first-class citizen in Hadoop — Data | GigaOM

  Good article on the trend of adding SQL engines to Hadoop environments, in the context of Cloudera:

  “veteran big data startup Cloudera is fundamentally changing the face of its flagship Hadoop distribution into something much more appealing. The company has developed a real-time SQL query engine called Impala that will sit aside MapReduce as a native processing option within Cloudera’s version of Hadoop. Cloudera is biggest and most well-known Hadoop vendor around, so opening its platform up to the wide world of SQL-trained data analysts is a really big deal — even if Cloudera is a bit late to the SQL party.”

  tags: hadoop sql cloudera

• Debates, Politics, and Predictions: Separate the Signal From the Noise | Wired Opinion | Wired.com

  Less data can be more:

  “WIRED: How do we avoid spinning a narrative out of noise?

  Silver: If you’re prone to overreact to new data, you should stick to basic models. Without a good framework for weighing information, having more can backfire.”

  tags: data prediction

• A Bandwidth Breakthrough – Technology Review

  “Academic researchers have improved wireless bandwidth by an order of magnitude—not by adding base stations, tapping more spectrum, or cranking up transmitter wattage, but by using algebra to banish the network-clogging task of resending dropped packets.

  By providing new ways for mobile devices to solve for missing data, the technology not only eliminates this wasteful process but also can seamlessly weave data streams from Wi-Fi and LTE—a leap forward from other approaches that toggle back and forth. “Any IP network will benefit from this technology,” says Sheau Ng, vice president for research and development at NBC Universal.”

  tags: bandwidth stem MIT

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.