If you haven't already heard, Microsoft made an exciting announcement at the 2023 Build event, introducing their new unified analytics platform called Microsoft Fabric. This new platform brings together all the data and analytics tools that organizations need in one place while also addressing the fragmentation of traditional systems and providing a single product with a unified experience.
So what's new?
One of the standout features of Fabric is its comprehensiveness. It covers every aspect of an organization's analytics needs, including data transformation, data engineering, data science, data warehousing, real-time analytics, and more. It is designed to facilitate collaboration among different team members, each with their specific roles, so that everyone can contribute effectively to the analytics process.
Fabric is powered by AI, leveraging Azure OpenAI Service, which helps users unlock the full potential of their data and create AI-driven experiences.
Additionally, Fabric integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 applications such as Excel, Teams, PowerPoint, and SharePoint. This deep integration allows users to discover and analyze data from OneLake directly within their familiar Microsoft 365 tools, fostering a data culture and enabling better decision-making.
OneLake – the One Drive of Data
A key component of the Fabric platform is the newly introduced OneLake, a multi-cloud data lake that simplifies data management and eliminates data silos. Microsoft refers to OneLake as the "OneDrive for data." It organizes data in an intuitive hub and supports open data formats like Delta and Parquet, enabling all workloads to operate on the same data without duplication. Data is organized in an intuitive data hub and automatically indexed for discovery, sharing, governance, and compliance.
Here you can see the seven core workloads that are all automatically wired into OneLake:
What about existing investments in Microsoft analytic solutions?
Existing data analytics products like Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Factory, and Azure Data Explorer will continue to be available. These products provide a solid PaaS solution for all data needs and work synchronously in this next level of evolution of data processing. Migration paths will be available to ensure a smooth transition for teams looking to upgrade their data services.
How can our clients benefit?
We are confident that Microsoft Fabric will greatly simplify our clients' operations. Currently, there are many different PaaS services available, and modernization can be a challenge for developers. But with Fabric, things are about to get a lot easier. We expect significant time savings in building infrastructure, allowing us to focus more on adding value to our client’s business across all of the industries we serve.
For example, in the manufacturing sector, real-time analytics provided by Microsoft Fabric can greatly enhance production efficiency and minimize downtime by enabling timely decision-making based on live data. In healthcare, the platform's collaborative capabilities empower teams to work together seamlessly on large and intricate datasets, facilitating impactful research and improving patient care. Regardless of the industry, Microsoft Fabric will be a valuable tool, revolutionizing data analysis and empowering organizations to make informed decisions that positively impact their operations and outcomes.
Moving forward in the era of AI
Overall, the launch of Microsoft Fabric marks an exciting development in the analytics landscape. As organizations embrace this unified platform, we can anticipate a new era of efficiency, effectiveness, and data-driven decision-making that will propel businesses forward in today's rapidly evolving market. Contact us to learn how Alithya can be your trusted partner in leveraging the power of Microsoft Fabric analytics to build a trusted foundation for your AI and analytics workloads.