Cohesity Data Explore

Cohesity has introduced Data Explore, a new feature in its Gaia generative AI platform, aimed at simplifying data search within backups for any employee. The update, launched this week, adds keyword search capabilities and data visualization through topic word clouds, enhancing user access to valuable information.

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Previously, users could interact with Gaia’s conversational AI interface to ask questions about stored data. Data Explore now extends this by enabling users to browse frequent keywords within data sets and receive search suggestions to help refine their queries. This addition is particularly valuable for users who may not know exactly what to ask when exploring backup data.

As part of the update, Gaia’s support for file storage systems has also expanded. Gaia now integrates with both on-premises and cloud-based file servers, such as Dell Technologies’ PowerScale and NetApp systems, in addition to existing support for Microsoft 365 services like Outlook, SharePoint, and OneDrive.

This enhanced search functionality reflects a broader trend among backup vendors to deliver greater utility from stored data, according to Simon Robinson of TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group. He noted that tools making data accessible to non-experts bring businesses closer to the goal of actionable insights. “You don’t need to be a corporate librarian to use this stuff,” Robinson said.

Data Explore’s semantic indexing, similar to internet search engines, aids users by automatically surfacing keywords, questions, and suggestions, making backup data more searchable and actionable. According to Krista Case, an analyst at Futurum Group, this helps reduce AI hype by grounding Gaia in practical use cases, facilitating faster insights for end users.

Since Gaia’s launch as a SaaS add-on for Cohesity Data Cloud, its features have evolved to offer deeper insights beyond simple chatbot interactions. Greg Statton, Cohesity’s VP of AI solutions, shared that the platform aims to be more than a support agent for backup queries. The vision is to provide advanced AI tools that enhance data discovery, flag abnormal events, and reduce alert fatigue, giving IT administrators actionable intelligence that is more contextually aware of their tasks.

Ultimately, Cohesity’s Data Explore feature exemplifies generative AI’s potential in unlocking business value from backup data. By making this data accessible and understandable, Cohesity is helping organizations achieve the long-awaited promise of deriving value from stored data – a milestone Robinson believes backup vendors are now on the verge of realizing.