What Are Vectors and Why Do They Matter?
When I start a blog, I always try to make sure the entire audience has a base understanding of the topic. So, for those that are familiar with vectors, you may skip ahead. But for those that are new to the topic, you might be asking: “What exactly is a vector?” and more importantly, “Why should I care?”
In simple terms, a vector is a numeric representation of data. For example, a paragraph of text, an image or even a sound clip can be transformed into a vector, which is a series of numbers that capture its meaning, context or features. These vectors allow computers to “understand” unstructured data and compare it in ways that traditional databases cannot.
This makes vectors foundational to artificial intelligence (AI). Tasks such as semantic search (finding results based on meaning, not just keywords); recommendation engines; anomaly detection and large-language-model (LLM) retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) all rely on vector embeddings. Without vector support, organizations are locked out of these modern AI use cases.
The way organizations work with data is changing. Traditional structured data management is no longer enough to power the next generation of applications. From generative AI (GenAI) to advanced search and recommendation systems, businesses need a way to process and analyze not only rows and columns of data, but also unstructured and semi-structured data like text, images, audio, etc. At the center of this shift lies vector data. Adding vector capabilities to the Progress Data Platform is more than just an upgrade—it’s a critical step in enabling enterprises to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving data landscape.
Bridging Structured and Unstructured Data
The Progress Data Platform already excels at bringing together diverse data sources, enabling businesses to work with SQL and NoSQL, cloud and on-premises, structured and semi-structured information. Adding vector capabilities extends that power into the unstructured domain.
Imagine combining customer transaction history (structured data) with real-time sentiment analysis from social media posts (unstructured vector data). Or enriching a traditional product catalog with image embeddings that let users search visually for similar products. With vector support, the Progress Data Platform becomes a true one-stop environment where every type of data (whether structured or unstructured), can be stored, accessed and analyzed together.
Enabling AI-Driven Applications
Perhaps the most compelling reason to integrate vectors into the platform is the growing adoption of AI. Enterprises are increasingly experimenting with LLMs to build smarter chatbots, automate knowledge discovery and improve employee productivity. The effectiveness of these models often depends on RAG pipelines, which retrieve context from a vector database before passing them into an LLM.
By embedding vector capabilities directly into the Progress Data Platform, organizations avoid the complexity of stitching together multiple systems or relying on external specialized databases. Instead, they gain a unified, governed and more secure environment to support AI workloads, thus reducing friction, accelerating time to market and lowering the cost of ownership.
Staying Competitive in a Shifting Market
Competitors are already moving fast to integrate vector support into their data stacks. Businesses that hesitate risk are being left behind. By adding vectors, the Progress Data Platform positions organizations for long-term success by empowering customers to take advantage of today's AI wave and tomorrow's innovations.
In a world where competitive advantage increasingly comes from how well organizations can unlock insights from their data, vectors are no longer optional—they are essential. Progress has the opportunity to deliver a platform that not only connects data, but also understands it. And that shift will define the next era of enterprise intelligence to come.
Todd Wright
Todd Wright leads Global Product Marketing for OpenEdge and DataDirect solutions from Progress. He works closely with the product management and sales organizations to create and promote materials that are relevant and valuable to Progress customers. He is instrumental in developing customer relationships and creating strategic marketing plans that drive awareness, consideration, education and demand for Progress.
