This Week in Neo4j – Explore public contracting data with Neo4j, RDBMS to Graph Page Overhaul, Filtering Connected Dynamic Forms, Graph-Based Real Time Inventory


This week we learn how to use graphs for Real Time Inventory and Topology for Network Automation, exploring public contracting data, and filtering connected dynamic forms. There’s also an overhaul to the RDBMS to Graph page and a crash course in how to choose unique identifiers for nodes when using Neo4j-OGM and Spring Data Neo4j.


Our featured community member this week is Francesca Ferretti, Head of CIO Governance Architecture in UniCredit Services.

Francesca Ferretti - This Week’s Featured Community Member

Francesca Ferretti – This Week’s Featured Community Member

Francesca Ferretti is a true Cypher nerd. As staff unit to the CIO, Francesca leads the architecture evolution for the overall area, including 5 major IT factories covering local and group Operations functions (Credit and Financial Risk, Planning & Control, Audit and Compliance and Human Resource) and the BigData farm, which is +900 people and 700 applications.

Oh, and did we fail to mention that she has a Cypher tattoo on her back? She might just be a true graph hero!

Graph-Based Real Time Inventory and Topology for Network Automation


In a recent webinar, Teemu Nykänen and Jesús Barrasa discuss their experience building a live inventory and topology store with Neo4j.



Graph databases for journalists – Using Neo4j to explore public contracting data


Dagoberto José Herrera Murillo explains how to analyze and visualize open contracting data using Neo4j, in an article that will be particularly interesting to data journalists.

After modelling and importing the data, we learn how to query the graph to find the winners of tenders, irregularities in contracts, and tenders bid on by shell companies.

Neo4j-OGM and Spring Data Neo4j: Choosing a Unique Identifier


Michael Simons gives us a crash course in how to choose unique identifiers for nodes when using Neo4j-OGM and Spring Data Neo4j.

Michael explains the advantages and disadvantages of using internal ids, surrogate keys, and business keys, and also identifies identifier anti patterns.

RDBMS to Graph Page Overhaul


The RDMBS to Graph Developer Guide is the latest one to be overhauled by Jennifer Reif. This page is the ultimate resource for learning about all the options for getting your relational data into Neo4j.

If you’ve ever found yourself asking:

    • Should I use LOAD CSV or Neo4j Import?
    • What type of data can I import using APOC?
    • Do you support any enterprise ETL Tools?

Head on over to the guide and you’ll find the answers to these questions and more.

Filtering Connected Dynamic Forms


In Max De Marzi‘s latest blog post he shows how Neo4j can be used to build dynamic form based applications.

Max shows how we might write queries to explore the responses given in these forms, and explains how a slight change to the data model enables more powerful queries to be written.

Tweet of the Week


My favourite tweet this week was by Jocelyn Hoppa:

Don’t forget to RT if you liked it too.

That’s all for this week. Have a great weekend!

Cheers, Mark