DENVER, Oct. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — HarperDB, a Distributed Systems Platform, announces the general availability of HarperDB 4.4. The new release delivers a 50% increase in replicated write performance, as well as support for sharding, enabling engineers to take advantage of the platform’s unlimited horizontal scale.

“Performance gains were made possible by consolidating a previously standalone replication function with the existing transaction log to create a single, more efficient replication system,” explains Kris Zyp, VP of Engineering at HarperDB. “The updated replication system, codenamed ‘Plexus,’ is more performant, efficient, secure, and reliable than previous approaches.”

HarperDB 4.4 also includes support for sharding, enabling efficient storage for massive data volumes across customers’ globally distributed applications. Sharding leverages HarperDB’s new, high-performance replication technology, enabling unlimited horizontal scale for reads and deep system redundancy.

With the performance gains introduced by these two key features, developers can now utilize HarperDB for large-scale IoT, gaming, and social media use cases that require high write throughput.

Also in this release:

Computed Properties allow developers to define properties to be computed from other properties, enabling easy definition and querying of data that is not advantageous to store, like discount prices, shipping costs, and gaming stats.Custom Indexes can now be based on computed properties, enabling unlimited possibilities for indexing, including composite, full-text, and vector indexing.Replicated Operations make for easy management of large distributed clusters by enabling restarts and component management operations to be “replicated,” reducing the DevOps workload.Dynamic Certificate Management allows certificates to be added, replaced, and deleted without restarting HarperDB, streamlining security management.For a complete list of updates, read the release note.

About HarperDB

HarperDB eliminates the complexity typically synonymous with distributed services by combining an ultra-fast document-style data store, in-memory cache, real-time message broker, and application components into a single distributed technology. When clustered and geo-distributed, HarperDB nodes instantly synchronize data to deliver a horizontally scalable Service Fabric, ensuring low-latency in-region responses for clients worldwide. In addition to massive cost savings at scale, HarperDB’s REST, GraphQL, and real-time interfaces make light work of servicing frontend requirements. Visit www.harperdb.io for more information.

Media Contact:

Aleks Haugom, GTM Lead
hello@harperdb.io 

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SOURCE HarperDB

Cyber in Minecraft is the first new credential product released under partnership between Prodigy Learning and Minecraft Education and now available through Microsoft and channel resellers worldwide.

DUBLIN, Oct. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ireland-headquartered global education technology company, Prodigy Learning and Minecraft Education are delighted to announce the availability of the new ‘Cyber in Minecraft’ credential product, bringing credentialling with Minecraft Education to another key, in-demand skills area.  

Today’s announcement is a milestone for the partnership between Prodigy Learning and Minecraft Education announced earlier this year, marking the first new credential product released under the partnership. This collaboration brings together the immersive world of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time, with the innovative educational solutions of Prodigy Learning, offering new opportunities for educators and students alike.

Businesses and organizations around the world are struggling to meet the evolving needs of the cyber workforce, and the education sector is battling to protect students from cyber threats including cyberbullying and data theft. A recent survey by Cyber.Org revealed that 75% of educators say their students have a medium or high level of interest in learning more about cybersecurity careers and career paths. ‘Cyber in Minecraft’ addresses these challenges by engaging students in learning experiences that build key cyber security skills and provide them with information about relevant roles in industry.

Delivered in Minecraft Education, this brand-new credentialling pathway engages young and diverse learners through game-based learning with Minecraft’s Cyber curriculum used by educators around the world and rewards their learning with credentials. It is an easy to teach solution enabling educators with little or no experience to deliver a standards-aligned curriculum in a critical subject area.

The Cyber in Minecraft pathway is comprised of three units covering Digital Citizenship, Networking and Security.  At the end of the pathway, the Cyber in Minecraft capstone credential exam enables students to prove their skills. If successful, students receive their Cyber in Minecraft Cybersecurity certificate and digital badge.

As well as helping protect students, the Cyber in Minecraft credential will open up career opportunities in cybersecurity for students around the world. The demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to increase with a recent report from Forbes indicating a global deficit of nearly 4 million cybersecurity workers. Expanding credentials in this field, along with emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), will provide students with valuable skills that will serve them in their future careers. 

Today’s announcement builds on the successful adoptions of Coding in Minecraft in school systems across the globe including Alaska, Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington State, Northern Ireland and New South Wales and expands the reach of this award-winning product. 

Along with Coding in Minecraft, the new Cyber in Minecraft product is now available for licensing through Microsoft and channel resellers worldwide in addition to existing Prodigy Learning channels. 

These offerings are just the beginning, with more innovative product solutions on the horizon.

Commenting, Andrew Flood, Chief Executive Officer of Prodigy Learning, said:

“Building on our partnership announcement earlier this year, we are delighted to introduce Cyber in Minecraft, in collaboration with Minecraft Education. Cybersecurity is a critical area for skills development worldwide.  To thrive in this age of AI, every student needs the opportunity to learn cybersecurity concepts.  What better way to empower students to develop and prove their cybersecurity skills than through game-based fun in Minecraft Education?”

Commenting, Allison Matthews, Head of Minecraft Education at Microsoft, said:

“The new Cyber in Minecraft course combines Minecraft Education’s powerful game-based learning platform with Prodigy Learning’s credentialing expertise, and will equip students with essential skills like computational thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving. Cyber in Minecraft engages learners in an immersive cybersecurity curriculum and rewards their learning with credentials, preparing them for future careers in this critical field.”

Find out more on cybercredentials.com

Prodigy Learning
Prodigy Learning is an award-winning global EdTech business, providing innovative online platforms that empower learners to develop and prove their skills. These solutions range from skills assessments in education through to job-ready digital skills credentials.

Minecraft Education
Minecraft Education is a game-based learning platform that inspires creative, inclusive learning through play. Millions of educators and students in 115 countries use Minecraft Education, building future-ready skills like problem solving, creativity, and critical thinking. The platform offers standards-aligned STEM curricula, professional development, and fun challenges designed for all types of learners, developed with partners like BBC Earth, the Nobel Peace Center, NASA, UNESCO, World Wildlife Federation, and Code.org.

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SOURCE Prodigy Learning

Sokol’s expertise will provide technical and organizational leadership in our data ecosystem, leveraging a wide range of technology solutions and innovations to deliver high-quality data products.

ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Brian Sokol, MS, joined Westat as our new Vice President of Data Architecture and Data Engineering. He is an experienced leader with more than 20 years of experience in data management and technology delivery in public policy and has in-depth knowledge of implementing information systems, data, and analytics in corporate, nonprofit, and government programs. Sokol has managed large units of direct and indirect reports, matrixed teams, consultants, and subcontractors—collaborating within and across organizations and communicating effectively with executives, end users, and technologists.

In this new position, Sokol will provide technical and organizational leadership in our data ecosystem, leveraging a wide range of technology solutions and innovations to deliver high-quality data products. This includes:

Overseeing the design, implementation, and maintenance of the organization’s data and cloud architecture to deliver solutions that drive business outcomes Evaluating and selecting technology tools for data analytics, business intelligence, cloud data platforms, machine learning, natural language processing, and generative AI developmentCollaborating with internal staff to understand data requirements and goals and provide solutions aligned with business objectivesDrafting initiatives to educate and communicate data ecosystem capabilitiesEstablishing a data governance framework of policies, standards, and procedures to safeguard sensitive data and ensure compliance with data protections and regulationsServing as a subject matter expert on emerging technologies regarding data storage, management, and analytics as well as cloud infrastructure and AI

“We are excited to welcome Brian to Westat,” notes Dwight Feanny, Chief Information Officer. “His leadership in data architecture, cloud solutions, and emerging technologies will continue to enhance Westat’s ability to innovate and deliver high-quality, business-focused data products. His deep experience in data governance and analytics will strengthen our ability to safeguard sensitive information and align with evolving industry standards.”

About Westat (www.westat.com)

Westat is a leader in research, data collection and analysis, technical assistance, evaluation, and communications. Our evidence-based findings help clients in government and the private sector accelerate advancements in health, education, transportation, and social and economic policy. Since 1963, our dedication to improving lives through research and our approach to projects grounded in investigative curiosity, equity, statistical and data rigor, adaptive methods, and advanced technology are why clients find exceptional value in our work.

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SOURCE Westat