News

Similarity Systems and Firstlogic Push New Data Quality Products

• By Stephen Swoyer
• November 16, 2005

At the recent TDWI show in Orlando, data quality specialists Similarity Systems and Firstlogic touted new data profiling and data quality offerings. Although that might not sound like earth-shattering news, both vendors have a lot more riding on these products than meets the eye.

For Similarity Systems, the latest release of its AXIO data profiling product is an important one, and not because AXIO 5.0 ships with a bevy of new features or enhancements. Several months ago, Similarity Systems became an overnight force to be reckoned with in the data quality segment, snapping up troubled Evoke Software. With the acquisition, Similarity shot for synergy, hoping the combination of its ATHANOR data quality technology with Evoke’s AXIO data profiling software would provide compelling differentiation in a crowded data quality marketplace. So with last week’s AXIO 5.0 release, all eyes—at least, the eyes of most ANTHOR and AXIO users—were on Similarity Systems.

The revamped AXIO does ship with an upgraded front end, which Similarity Systems says should help improve usability. It also incorporates architectural enhancements that company officials claim will help improve the execution of multiple (concurrent) profiling tasks. In addition, AXIO 5.0 features new database connectivity options and better integration with ATHANOR.

Also at TDWI Orlando, Firstlogic announced IQ Watch, a compliance-oriented product that’s designed to help manage interdiction list compliance. IQ Watch taps Firstlogic’s data cleansing and matching capabilities to compare customers and transactions with government interdiction lists to ensure compliance with OFAC, FBI lists, Bureau of Industry and Security lists, Security Council of the United Nations Consolidated List, World Bank Debarred Parties List as well as lists from OSFI, DTC, EU, FATF NCCT, FinCEN and OCC.

“While this should be a good solution for the company in a number of ways, Firstlogic is nevertheless not the only data quality vendor with such a solution,” says Rob Lerner, a senior analyst for data management with consultancy Current Analysis.

If nothing else, IQ Watch could help shore up Firstlogic’s position in the regulatory compliance arena, Lerner suggests. “The demand, and the money spent on regulatory compliance, is significant and growing…and Firstlogic may be able to use this solution to strengthen its position in this market, as well as leverage its technology and expertise to partner with any number of vendors addressing regulatory compliance that may not have a list cleansing service or, more importantly, data quality support.”