InformationWeek

September 29, 1997

Broadbase Information Systems: 30-Minute Data Marts

prime selling point of data marts is that they show results quickly. Some vendors brag that their marts can be used for data analysis in about 30 days, a fraction of the time it takes to build a data warehouse. But Broadbase Information Systems Inc. is stepping forward with an even bolder claim: a data mart that can be up and running in less than 30 minutes.

This super-fast deployment is possible because the Broadbase server is a turnkey system, says Mark Kremer, founder and CEO of the San Mateo, Calif., startup. In addition to a relational online analytical processing (OLAP) engine at its co re, Broadbase's system comes with integrated data-extraction and data-transformation tools, and with Brio Technology's desktop-analysis software. Also, the server has been designed from inception to run on Microsoft's Windows NT operating system, taking advantage of NT's Java Virtual Machine, multithreading, and ease-of-use features. "The installation is not that different from a desktop tool," says Kremer, whose background includes stints as a data-retrieval specialist with Oracle and Verity.

Broadbase developers used a combination of SQL 92 and Java to build the ODBC-compliant system. It can be administered remotely or by a PC-savvy end user locally. Kremer says Broadbase provides "very fast" performance, but the company is not promoting query speed as the principal strength of the product. "We don't position it as the No. 1 differentiator," Kremer says.

The system begins shipping in October at $50,000 to $100,000 per server. At that price, it's aimed at midsize companies as well as departmental and line-of-business managers in large companies. Beta testers included cosmetics supplier Merle Norman and sunglass maker Oakley.

Another tester is Baxter Healthcare's IV Systems division in Roundlake, Ill. It uses Broadbase as a way of analyzing sales data in the hard-to-track nontraditional hospital sector, which includes surgery centers and home patients. IV Systems already had two data warehouses-one based on NCR's Teradata database, the other on Oracle. But it was looking for a way to off-load some of the demand on those systems while providing a dedicated system to its business unit.

Kept Promises
Broadbase made good on its promise of quick results. "The first day they came in, we had connectivity to a number of databases within two hours," says Devra Budzik, senior project manager with IV Systems. Within three days, a "rough" decision-support application was running, she adds. IV Systems is negotiating for a Broadbase license. "I can see the merits of having a mart for each one of our five business units," says Budzik.

Privately held Broadbase is backed with $6.5 million in venture funding. Its technology partners include DataMind, HyperParallel, and i.d.Centric-a unit of FirstLogic.

Broadbase has only a small direct sales team, so it plans to distribute its product through systems integrators, value-added resellers, and independent software vendors. Company officials expect some of those partners to use Broadbase in prepackaged marts for vertical markets. "That's a big channel for us. We're a highly programmable mart," says Bruce Armstrong, senior VP of sales and marketing.

By some estimates, the data warehousing market will reach $15 billion by 2000. If the 30-minute mart catches on, Broadbase stands to enjoy some of that business.

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