Inforbix Beta

How to Visualize Product Data?

May 19, 2011 By inforbix Leave a Comment

On today’ post, I’d like to try something different. Rather than present a topic as usual, I’d like to ask our future customers for ideas on useful ways product data can be visualized.

Currently our Beta program involves the evaluation of two product data applications, xSearch and xTables. Here are two videos available on our website in case you are not familiar with xSearch and xTable:

xSearch

xTable

In addition to xSearch and xTable, we are developing other product data applications that help harness the latent value of product data in manufacturing companies. One of the product data applications we are considering takes the notion of xTables one step further. It will allow the contents of an xTable to be visualized. We’ve been inspired by Google charts and believe we can deliver something similar to users of xTables. We want to let users control how the contents of xTables are visualized online for more effective decision support.

So imagine you have the means of dynamically aggregating and displaying product data online in a table (i.e. xTables). How would you like to see the contents of that table visualized? And what kind of control would you want to have? Is it even a good idea, i.e. something of value?

*Picture is courtesy of Google.

We believe our products must be inspired by customers for our customers. It’s what guides every step of our product development cycle. It’s why we have design partners (actual manufacturing companies) and our Beta program. It’s why we’ll always refer to our customers for important product design decisions. It’s why we’re asking you, our future customers for you input.

We look forward to your feedback. And of course, if you wish to participate in our Beta program, we’d be delighted to have your help there as well.

Best, Oleg

Filed Under: Applications, Inforbix Beta Tagged With: Charts, Search, Tables, Visualization

Inforbix Beta Program- How to start?

April 13, 2011 By oleg Leave a Comment

Our Beta Program has launched! So we’re inviting manufacturing companies to try Inforbix and give us their feedback. We are testing two first Inforbix Product Data Applications – Search App and Tables App. The purpose of Search App is to help you to search, browse and navigate through the product related data. Tables App allows you to create virtual tables (similar to Excel) to contain, slice & dice data. Our YouTube channel can give you a glimpse of an idea what Inforbix Search and Tables can do.

Now, let’s talk about product data we support. For current Beta version, we are mostly focusing on CAD files (i.e. SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Inventor, CATIA, etc.) , Excel, PDF and other file-based information. We would love to discuss details about our future support of PDM/PLM and ERP systems. However, the support of these systems will go beyond current Beta version.

Here’s how it works. You sign for Inforbix Beta program using this link. First there’s a simple Beta Program license agreement which is signed and formalizes participation in the program. One per company. And oh, before I forget, participation in the Beta Program is free. Once that’s out of the way, we are ready to begin phase I of the Beta Program. Phase I is all about benchmarking performance and user functionality with *your* product data. This involves uploading a subset of your product data into our Cloud server and accessing it with Inforbix via a web browser. In other words, you pick-up 10-15 GB of your CAD files, Excels, PDFs and upload it to the secured FTP site (we will give you a secured login as you sign for Beta). Soon after that, you will have a link to a cloud server runing Inforbix Apps using your data. So, you will be able to experience how Inforbix Search and Inforbix Tables are functioning.

Once everything checks out and things are looking good, we shift into phase II of the Beta Program. We delete the subset of product data in our Cloud used in phase I, deploy on-site indexing crawlers on the product data you want Infobix to use, and as in Phase I, access Inforbix via a web browser. This environement will be identical to your “production configuration”. You will be able to configure product data crawlers to index CAD files, Excels and PDF for multiple locations (file servers, local and network directories). This video gives you some further background:

Now let’s talk about the effort. Other than uploading a subset of product data into the Inforbix Cloud, there’s no more effort involved for phase I. Inforbix is ready to be used. For phase II, other than telling us what on-site (i.e., in your company) product data you want Inforbix to use, there’s not much more additional effort required. Installing the indexing crawlers is simple and straightforward. No special maintenance is required. Product Data crawlers work in the background. Using Inforbix is even easier as all it takes is a web browser. We set up a convenient schedule for how and when you provide us with feedback. And yes, that feedback is Gold for us. You’ll be helping us ensure that Inforbix is the most exciting and helpful product possible. Want to know more? Go ahead… ask to know more. We’d be delighted to speak to you, answer any questions and possibly, get you signed up. We need your feedback. And who knows, we may even name a feature after you!

Best, Oleg

Filed Under: Inforbix Beta Tagged With: Beta, Beta Program, Inforbix, inforbix search, Inforbix Tables, Product Data, Product Data Apps

Behind the scene: From Basement to the Cloud

March 2, 2011 By oleg Leave a Comment

I’ve spent my last 24 hours with our engineers to move Inforbix Beta testing equipment from Inforbix Central Garage basement to the data center. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to picture all people who were involved in this work on the site and remotely in our development center, but it was a fun and great team work. We are almost ready to start our work with first companies signed up for Beta Program. Enjoy pictures and sign for the Inforbix Beta Program to learn more.