Alteryx Auto Insights

Basic Information

Alteryx Auto Insights (AAI) is a cloud-native Artificial Intelligence (AI) product designed to automate the process of finding and explaining insights from data. It automatically creates Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), reports, and presentations from datasets.

• Model: Alteryx Auto Insights (AAI)
• Version: As a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, Alteryx Auto Insights undergoes continuous updates and improvements, meaning there isn't a fixed version number.
• Release Date: No specific product release date is publicly available, but it is part of the Alteryx Cloud offerings. An Alteryx Auto Insights Micro-Credential was introduced on August 24, 2023.
• Minimum Requirements (Data):
  • Structured, transactional, time-series data is optimal.
  • No free text or unstructured data; data longer than 256 characters is truncated.
  • Column names must be in the first row, cannot start with numbers or special characters, and have a maximum of 128 characters.
  • At least one numeric measure and one categorical field (ideally five, with at least two distinct values).
  • Recommended data size is up to 10 GB, with 2 GB being ideal.
  • Ideally includes a date field spanning at least 7 months (24 months recommended) with daily granularity, though recent updates allow for datasets without a date field for certain functionalities.
• Supported Operating Systems: As a cloud-native SaaS application, Alteryx Auto Insights is accessed via a web browser and is compatible with any operating system that supports modern web browsers. Alteryx Designer, used for data upload, supports Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) or later, and macOS (via virtual machine installation).
• Latest Stable Version: Continuously updated as a SaaS product.
• End of Support Date: No specific end-of-support date is provided for the SaaS product. Alteryx's general policy states that end-of-support for stable/minor releases aligns with the major release's end-of-support.
• End of Life Date: No specific end-of-life date for Alteryx Auto Insights. The "Insight tool" within Alteryx Server reached end of life with the 2024.1 release, which is a distinct product.
• Auto-update Expiration Date: Not applicable due to its continuous update model as a SaaS offering.
• License Type: Commercial, typically subscription-based as part of the Alteryx Cloud platform.
• Deployment Model: Cloud-native SaaS. It is hosted on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) or Microsoft Azure. It can also be deployed to a customer's Virtual Private Cloud (VPC).

Technical Requirements

Alteryx Auto Insights is a cloud-based solution, so client-side technical requirements are minimal, primarily focusing on web browser compatibility. For private cloud deployments or data ingestion, specific server-side resources and data characteristics are relevant.

• RAM: For VPC deployments, a minimum of 128 GB RAM is required for the dedicated Virtual Machine (VM).
• Processor: For VPC deployments, 16 CPU cores are required for the dedicated VM.
• Storage: For VPC deployments, a minimum of 50 GB for the OS disk and 200 GB (500 GB recommended) for the data disk are necessary. The data disk stores Docker containers, volumes, datasets, and metadata.
• Display: Standard display resolution supported by modern web browsers.
• Ports: For VPC deployments, specific network requirements include access to Alteryx Releases S3 Bucket and Amazon ECR, as well as SMTP/IMAP for email services.
• Operating System: Client access is OS-agnostic via web browser. For VPC deployments, the underlying VM typically runs a Linux distribution like CentOS 7 (as seen in other Alteryx products).

Analysis of Technical Requirements

The technical requirements for Alteryx Auto Insights are primarily centered around data quality and the infrastructure for private cloud deployments. As a SaaS offering, end-users require only a modern web browser. The stringent data requirements emphasize the need for well-structured, clean, and transactional data for the AI to function effectively. For organizations opting for VPC deployment, substantial server resources (CPU, RAM, storage) are necessary to host the application components, indicating a robust backend infrastructure.

Support & Compatibility

Alteryx Auto Insights offers broad compatibility with various data sources and operates within major cloud environments, ensuring extensive support for enterprise users.

• Latest Version: As a continuously updated SaaS product, users always access the latest version with the newest features and improvements.
• OS Support: Compatible with any operating system that can run a modern web browser (e.g., Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge). Alteryx Designer, which can upload data, supports Windows 10/11 and macOS (via VM).
• End of Support Date: No specific end-of-support date for the SaaS product. Support is ongoing with continuous updates.
• Localization: Alteryx Designer is available in English, French, German, Japanese, LATAM Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese. It is reasonable to infer similar localization support for Alteryx Auto Insights.
• Available Drivers: Alteryx Auto Insights connects to a wide range of databases, including MySQL, MS SQL (various versions), Oracle SQL, Snowflake, and PostgreSQL. It also supports file uploads such as CSV and ZIP files. The Auto Insights Uploader tool is available for Alteryx Designer versions 2021.2 and newer.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status

Alteryx Auto Insights demonstrates strong support and compatibility. Its SaaS model ensures users always have access to the most current features and security updates without manual intervention. Broad OS compatibility via web browsers and extensive support for various database connectors and file formats facilitate seamless integration into diverse enterprise data ecosystems. The continuous development and update cycle inherent to SaaS products imply ongoing support, though specific end-of-life dates for the product itself are not applicable in the traditional sense.

Security Status

Alteryx Auto Insights prioritizes data security through a multi-layered approach, adhering to industry standards and certifications.

• Security Features:
  • Multi-layer secure architecture hosted on Google Cloud Platform or Microsoft Azure.
  • Web Application Firewall and Network Security Groups protect web servers.
  • Kubernetes cluster ensures high availability.
  • Data stored in cloud-managed MySQL Databases on encrypted disks.
  • Strict access controls manage user allocation and enforce minimum necessary privileges.
  • Annual penetration tests conducted by independent third parties.
  • Roles and responsibilities for information security are defined and segregated.
• Known Vulnerabilities: No specific known vulnerabilities are publicly disclosed in the provided information.
• Blacklist Status: Not mentioned in the provided information.
• Certifications:
  • ISO/IEC 27001 certified.
  • SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
  • Aligned to GDPR principles.
• Encryption Support:
  • Data at rest is secured using AES256 encryption.
  • Data in motion employs industry-grade encryption (TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3) for all web/HTTPS traffic.
  • Communication between Auto Insights applications occurs over encrypted channels using standardized protocols.
• Authentication Methods:
  • Locally administered user accounts authenticate using basic authentication secured under HTTPS.
  • JSON Web Token (JWT) standard is used internally to secure ongoing user sessions.
  • Single Sign-On (SSO) is supported via SAML 2.0, compatible with identity providers like Azure Active Directory and Okta.
  • Role-based access control (RBAC) provides authorized users access to individual resources.
• General Recommendations: Alteryx recommends using Integrated Windows Authentication with Kerberos for secure authentication with Alteryx Server, and implicitly, strong data governance and adherence to data preparation guidelines for Auto Insights.

Analysis on the Overall Security Rating

Alteryx Auto Insights maintains a high overall security rating. The platform is built with a strong security framework, evidenced by its ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certifications, and alignment with GDPR principles. Comprehensive encryption for data at rest and in transit, robust access controls, and support for industry-standard authentication methods like SSO (SAML 2.0) ensure data protection. Regular third-party penetration tests further validate its security posture. The commitment to security is integrated throughout the product development lifecycle and internal operations.

Performance & Benchmarks

Alteryx Auto Insights focuses on delivering rapid, automated insights to enhance business decision-making.

• Benchmark Scores: Specific numerical benchmark scores are not publicly available.
• Real-World Performance Metrics:
  • Automatically creates KPIs, reports, and presentations in minutes.
  • Analyzes trends and root causes efficiently.
  • Surfaces patterns, stories, and trends in data rapidly.
  • Provides critical insights in minutes without extensive manual configuration.
  • Purpose-built algorithms analyze data in seconds to explain changes in metrics.
• Power Consumption: Not directly applicable to end-users as a SaaS product. Power consumption is managed by the underlying cloud infrastructure providers (Google Cloud Platform or Microsoft Azure).
• Carbon Footprint: Not directly applicable to end-users as a SaaS product. The carbon footprint is managed by the underlying cloud infrastructure providers.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: Alteryx Auto Insights differentiates itself by combining AI, Machine Learning, and Data Visualization to deliver automated end-to-end insights, reducing the need for manual analysis typically required by traditional Business Intelligence (BI) tools. It aims to simplify data visualization and turn complex data into actionable insights quickly.

Analysis of the Overall Performance Status

The overall performance status of Alteryx Auto Insights is characterized by its speed and automation. It excels at rapidly processing structured data to generate insights, reports, and presentations, significantly reducing the time and effort traditionally associated with data analysis. While specific benchmark figures are not disclosed, the emphasis is on accelerating the insight generation process, enabling business users to make data-led decisions more quickly. Its cloud-native architecture supports scalable performance, adapting to varying data volumes and analytical demands.

User Reviews & Feedback

User feedback highlights Alteryx Auto Insights' strengths in automation and ease of use, while also pointing out areas related to data preparation and analytical depth.

• Strengths:
  • Automatically creates KPIs, reports, and presentations, explaining them in clear, natural language.
  • Reduces BI development time and backlog, freeing up data experts.
  • Automates data discovery and root cause analysis, detecting trends and patterns.
  • Easy setup as a cloud-native SaaS solution.
  • Saves time on preliminary data exploration and routine report production, allowing analysts to focus on more complex tasks.
  • Provides critical insights in minutes without specialized technical skills.
• Weaknesses:
  • Requires clean, structured, transactional data; cannot process free text or unstructured data.
  • Data preparation and cleaning are necessary before ingestion.
  • Does not automatically identify the significance of all report elements, requiring manual curation of charts for final reports.
  • Does not offer forecasting capabilities.
  • Not ideal for infrequent reporting or highly aggregated data.
  • Does not work with unstructured or geospatial data.
• Recommended Use Cases:
  • Basic, repetitive, and frequent reporting.
  • Analyzing trends and root causes in data.
  • Generating executive summaries, KPI deep dives, correlation analyses, and playbooks.
  • Applicable across various departments, including sales operations, support and service operations, finance, procurement, and workforce analytics, especially for transactional data.

Summary

Alteryx Auto Insights is a powerful cloud-native SaaS solution that leverages AI and machine learning to automate the generation of business insights, reports, and presentations. Its primary strength lies in its ability to rapidly transform structured, transactional data into actionable intelligence, explained in natural language, thereby democratizing data analysis for business users and reducing the burden on data analysts. The platform boasts robust security, evidenced by ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certifications, comprehensive encryption, and support for industry-standard authentication methods.

However, the effectiveness of Alteryx Auto Insights is highly dependent on the quality and structure of the input data, requiring significant data preparation and adherence to specific formatting guidelines. It currently lacks advanced forecasting capabilities and requires manual curation to identify the most significant insights within generated reports. It is not suitable for unstructured or highly aggregated data.

Alteryx Auto Insights is highly recommended for organizations with access to clean, structured, and transactional data that require frequent, automated insights for operational reporting, trend analysis, and root cause identification across various business functions. It is particularly beneficial for teams looking to accelerate decision-making and enhance data literacy without extensive manual BI development. Organizations should invest in robust data governance and preparation processes to maximize the value derived from this asset.

The information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.