Microsoft Zhang: Any enterprise must have big data strategy

At the 2013 China (Shenzhen) It Leaders Summit, Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group chairman Zhang talked about his views on large data, he believes that large data is critical, any enterprise must have a big data strategy, otherwise, the company will be in the future competition in a disadvantageous position.

The following is a transcript of the interview:

NetEase technology: Zhang, Hello, you are our old friend. Today, a lot of guests talk to us about this year's topic is big data, how do you think? What kind of layout does Microsoft have?

Zhang: Big data is not a new thing, we have been engaged in this field of research and research in this area of the product has been for many years, why the big data into such a hot topic? The 1th is three "V": more and more data, more types of data, faster and faster. Another important point is that cloud computing is slowly moving into the mainstream, a lot of data can be counted, can be saved, can be transmitted, so cloud computing and large data is the two sides of the coin, large data is the application of cloud computing, cloud computing is a platform for large data. The 3rd is the maturity of algorithm and theory, now data mining technology, learning technology more and more mature. So I can turn the "V" I just said into a new "V", value, how to turn signals into data, data into information, information into knowledge, knowledge to decision-making, so I think these three things mature, can say big data becomes a hot spot, become a new noun (actually not too new).

NetEase Science and Technology: now advocate or sell hardware company, sell storage, real analysis ability I believe that we just hear the concept, have not really realized.

Zhang: Like cloud computing there is no new thing, in the industry step by step forward, the big data has been used for a long time. itself is to deal with large data, Kaiyuan is a large data, may not be structured. Several of the largest applications now seen, such as search, search, are key applications of large data, including past eMALL and data applications. Business, intelligence, plus big data new processing technology to make it go faster. In a way, the benefits of starting to use big data are just turning it into an industry.

I would like to say that, as I have said before, it is very important for enterprises, big or small, government or society. My recent term is "data divide", any enterprise must have big data strategy, the data itself will have a great impact on the decision of the enterprise, with the data of the customer, the data of the employees, including the data of the work process, which is very important to the business decision, the development of the company, we all need such a strategy. If not, your company will be in a disadvantageous position in the future competition. It's not a quick one, it needs a process. Microsoft has such a product, now there will be more, especially with Windows Azure after the hope that the industry has more to promote.

NetEase technology: Just mentioned cloud computing, I remember for a long time you are talking about the hope that the cloud can land in China, from the end of last year to this year there are significant progress. I see the partner's message, after landing Microsoft cloud computing next what kind of plan?

Zhang: First landing is important, in China, there are data centers, cloud services, and a number of important applications, such as Windows, office365, which in itself is a big deal, we landed in the domestic way is through with the government, industry partners, so is the way of cooperation, the way of common operation. There will be a big change in the industrial model, we have been talking about software, products, services, this is the software as the most direct way of service, we will provide ies, provide PAS, enterprises can put things on our cloud, enterprises can use a lot of computing functions, enterprises can also use data and applications , such as Office365,office on the cloud. These things have not yet come home for a variety of reasons, and have been used in the United States, Europe has been used. Office365 is very popular, and Microsoft has ever reached the fastest 1 billion U.S. dollars of products, can see the popularity of the extent. We hope to benefit Chinese users soon.

NetEase Technology: office365 Products There are many people say, not only office, can be used as a small company ERP or as the company's internal communications system.

Zhang: We're talking about Microsoft's cloud services, Microsoft Cloud Service, which includes Windows Azure, platforms, including office365, and you emall systems, link systems, SharePoint systems, Dynamics ERP and CRM systems. With Microsoft cloud Services, businesses can use your entire process, and we want to provide end-to-end solutions instead of typing and counting tables.

NetEase technology: Tools are not independent, are linked together. What if the landing starts this year, including office365 or Azure, which will be used in China slowly this year?

Zhang: We hope the sooner the better, now the progress is very fast, in the future can hear better news. I think it has something to do with the rapid development of our WINDOWS8. For example, our new generation of office has more to do with WINDOWS8, and the interface is more windows.

NetEase technology: There are some data, including last year, we are looking forward to the release of Windows8, hoping to pull the PC industry development, but in fact last year overall sales decline. Windows8 released also did not realize everyone's expectations. There is also a supplementary is that we know Microsoft this June to release the conference on the Windows blue This is what kind of direction?

Zhang: Windows8 is a new interface and a new platform, after the launch of the effect is very good, received a lot of attention, very popular. Launched 2 months or so, the sale of 60 million, has been the best ever, faster than Windows7. So windows8 effect is good. The second windows8 because is the brand-new interface, the brand-new platform, needs a little time, needs everybody to go to the habit, because used to the desktop thing, encounters the touch may not be very accustomed, but the custom later everybody will like it, therefore WINDOWS8 is builds for the future the system.

Just now that PC shipments have slipped, this year may be flat or even a bit down. No relationship, the PC will also be used, in fact, there are two growth points, one is a tablet computer, a smartphone, these two aspects, WINDOWS8 is prepared for them. So you can see a lot of partners using WINDOWS8 as a tablet, you can see that Microsoft is a new market, in the new market quickly, in the PC market will maintain a leading position. In the new market, there will be a big increase in the tablet. In addition, after windows8 out, the effect is very good, this year's sales are 5 times times last year, there are seven markets over the apple, growth is fast. We see WINDOWS8 in the store, from the number of application growth to see the trend of development, so we are very optimistic. But there are a lot of differences between Windows8 and Android, but the momentum is particularly good.

NetEase technology: How long will it take?

Zhang: I have been talking about three platforms, three operating systems, "Three Kingdoms", competition will become more and more intense, windows8 development momentum is quite good. Just speaking of Windows blue because we have more information in June, I may not be able to give too much information.

NetEase technology: What is the direction?

Zhang: Microsoft launches every operating system, in terms of innovation, such as features, longer standby time, longer and hardware integration, support for different hardware devices, this is how many years of development products, not after Windows launched no matter it, there is always something new, because the industry changes, the user needs are changing, We will further improve the feedback given by many users during the WINDOWS8 release.

NetEase technology: There is a small matter, now the technology is relatively hot, but also can be counted, such as smart dress things, such as glasses, watches, Microsoft has been doing a variety of equipment on the system, there is no intelligent wear, intelligent small aspects of the layout?

Zhang: I often say that now is n screen, big screen, small screen, small screen, there is a micro-screen, or there is no screen. We've been working on it for years, a watch, a watch that can surf the internet, a lot of tweets, and it's too early and not particularly successful, but the gene is still there. There will be more action in these areas in the future. Now focus on the WINDOWS8 and PCs, tablets, smartphones as the main battlefield. In addition see in the television, in the car, in the game machine and so on aspect also is developing, WINDOWS8 also can use in that system inside. So the first front is the PC, the tablet and the phone. The second front is television and car. The third is wearable. The final system ideal layout is that I have a side of the operating system, which can be used in all devices, there is a large logical cloud, most of the data exist in the cloud, computing in the cloud, all the applications, your services are compatible. All the content can be exchanged, this is very ideal. Windows8 opened a number of, such as mobile phones, tablets and PCs are already compatible, I hope to get through more restrictions, which is a challenge to computer science itself, I think we still walk in the more advanced.

NetEase technology: The appearance of the second half of last year, we also have some plug-ins, for domestic applications, this piece of progress how?

Zhang: There are two aspects, one is the product of the game machine, one is the Kinect EPR, STK Open, we can open the above application, used in other aspects, can be used to Windows and so on, I now see that there may be tens of thousands of applications, all industries have, I hope to blossom, have different applications. But on the other hand, the new Kinect is more accurate, the finger level can be recognized, the other is more accurate, the effect of sound will be better. I think there is a lot of room for application. But these things do not immediately release the product, this is the whole development direction, the industry is moving forward.

NetEase technology: You are in charge of Microsoft Kinect's research and development group, how is this concept commercialized?

Zhang: This is a very exciting technique. We have the technology, the concept, the slow commercialization, there are many things can not be commercialized, but you at least know what to do, what not to do, a lot of technical progress.

NetEase Technology: We do incubator, accelerator is also doing?

Zhang: The Cloud Accelerator was set up about a year ago, and I remember announcing it in this place last year, also at the IT leaders ' summit. Now that the second phase, the first issue of six months, 10 companies have graduated, the second phase is 20 companies, we will increase the size. These companies are not only doing cloud, also doing Kinect, they have some technology, there are some business models, put applications on our cloud, we provide technology, but also provide office space, but also provide some money, hope they grow faster.

NetEase technology: What kind of goals do you have in 2013?

Zhang: First, our investment will be bigger, the scale will be bigger, in the last week announced the establishment of a new center in Suzhou, the center scale will be very large, following Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Suzhou has a new center. 2nd, there are more investment in the cloud, such as windowsazure platform in China Landing, there are many applications, there are some engineering work. The third will do more applications for China, including office365, including windowsazure, including hardware, hardware will be greatly enhanced, hardware is very important center in Shenzhen, Microsoft Asia Hardware Center, only 10 minutes from here, this size will increase, You can see that Microsoft will do more and more hardware. The new strategy of our company is equipment plus service. Software is important, but the software is experienced by the device and implemented through the service.

NetEase technology: Thank you Zhang always accept our interview.

(Responsible editor: The good of the Legacy)