Routes to Reliability and User Adherence in Social Networking (Technology Focus)

SUMMARY

Abstract

Overview

Introduction

Virtual communities & online social networking sites are providing a new. powerful, and extremely popular medium for human connection. In the near term, infrastructure providers, social network providers, & wireless players stand to profit largely.

Scope of this report

• Covers pressing technological issues facing social networking services.
• Identifies major areas of innovation.
• Focuses on the critical challenges of scalability and availability, and presents solutions.

Research and analysis highlights

Every customer-facing business should prepare for a sudden, unexpected surge in customer contacts, but for most these increases constitute spikes which endure for a short period of time and then drop down to predictable levels. Social networking services must not only anticipate spikes, but court them, converting idle interest into loyal usership.

Social networking services of all stripes should be preparing their mobile strategies.

The ability to port content and contacts between non-competing social networking services is benefiting all parties.

Key reasons to read this report

• Understand the potential of hosting for social networking services.
• Isolate opportunities for growth in promising new areas.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

• DATAMONITOR VIEW
  • CATALYST
  • SUMMARY
• ANALYSIS
  • Scalability and availability are critical issues for social networking services
  • Social networking service of all stripes should be preparing their mobile strategies
  • The ability to port content and contacts between non-competing social networking services
• APPENDIX
  • Definitions
    • Social network
    • Social networking service
    • Membership
  • Methodology
  • Further reading
  • Ask the analyst
  • Datamonitor consulting
  • Disclaimer
  • List of Figures
    • Figure 1: Three tier server model