Posit Platform (RStudio on SageMaker)

I use Posit for both Posit Connect and Posit Workbench. The Workbench is used for development, as there are many packages not supported by RStudio because I didn't have RStudio Pro. Posit Connect is used to host applications, such as the R application and R Shiny application, connecting to Azure SQL and database instances.

Posit is valuable because many geo-scientists I work with are more comfortable writing R scripts and using R Shiny, making it a suited choice for them. On top of that, it integrates with the application and database, creating interactive dashboards. While there's a need to manage a significant portion manually, the performance overall is stable.

Posit lacks a smooth solution for the build and release pipeline. Its documentation is weak, which can make installation cumbersome for someone without terminal experience. Additionally, there are some cost constraints associated with user scaling and the role management configuration can be tricky.

I have used Posit from January to May.

Initially, I faced issues with the pre-installed instance from the Azure marketplace, which did not work as expected. I overcame these by provisioning my own Linux machine on Azure and managing it myself, which proved effective.

Posit is relatively stable in terms of performance once set up. During the initial setup, however, I encountered issues with dependencies and package management.

There are limitations related to user scaling where costs increase with additional users.

Technical support I received is rated six to seven out of ten. They operate on US time, which can delay responses, sometimes taking up to 48 hours. Their documentation and support responses often refer to existing documentation without providing new insights.

Neutral

The initial setup is cumbersome and requires considerable effort, especially concerning dependencies, the mail server, DNS setup, and other configurations. It needs about two to three weeks of dedicated work to establish everything.

RStudio Pro and Workbench are quite expensive. Workbench is especially costly because it supports multiple sessions, so there's a strategy to use it only during full-phase development, then switch to R desktop to save costs.

If you are strictly focused on R, Posit can be a good fit. However, if you're also dealing with Python or need flexibility with additional customizations, consider DataBricks instead. I rate Posit between five and six.

Public Cloud

Microsoft Azure

Our primary use case for Posit  involves end-to-end data processing. We start by pulling data from various sources like CSV, Excel, Snowflake , and Databricks . We clean the data, analyze it, and visualize it using tools like ggplot, Shiny dashboards, or R markdown documents. We also use Posit  for building models and sharing findings for better insight within the team.

Posit has significantly improved our ability to collaborate. We can use it to share results and findings instantly within the team and develop Shiny applications for external review. This has led to quicker project iterations and enhanced internal communication and collaboration.

I have found Posit’s integration with R, such as the autocomplete feature and the help panel, to be invaluable. These features allow a smooth user experience and eliminate the need to switch between programs for assistance. Additionally, the platform’s ability to build and test Shiny applications is highly beneficial.

I would like to see improvements in SSH capabilities. The potential to use local environments on powerful cloud resources through SSH, as seen in other tools like Visual Studio Code, would enhance Posit’s usability for hybrid environments.

I have been using Posit for about ten years, including both the free RStudio  desktop version and the enterprise version.

Posit is generally very stable. It becomes unresponsive only with excessively large datasets or complex computations when our computing resources fall short. Otherwise, it provides a reliable working environment.

The scalability is excellent. Using AWS SageMaker , we can easily expand from simple setups to more powerful configurations with multiple GPUs and extensive memory resources. This flexibility accommodates various project requirements.

The customer service is responsive, with ticket responses typically within 24 hours on business days. We also have an account executive for direct communication, which is very beneficial, although their availability is limited to standard business hours.

Positive

At a previous company, we used different software. It did not meet our needs. As an R user, RStudio  naturally complements my workflow, making Posit a suitable choice.

The initial setup of the desktop version of Posit is straightforward and easy. However, the cloud setup for Posit Workbench  was handled by the technical team.

Our technical team handled the setup of Posit Workbench on the cloud and described it as straightforward.

One of our significant projects using Posit helped business partners prioritize tasks more effectively, saving the company approximately $3 million. This illustrates substantial organizational value and ROI.

Currently, the cost of Posit is reasonable and affordable, although there is an anticipated increase in pricing.

Other analytic software solutions were not evaluated extensively, as our team primarily consists of R users, making Posit a logical choice.

I would recommend new users to engage with Posit's sales and support teams, as they provide excellent assistance and insights into the product. Posit offers reasonably priced solutions compared to competitors, making it an advantageous choice for data science teams.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Hybrid Cloud

We use Posit to deploy applications developed in R and Python. Our team creates applications and models, which they then host on GitHub. We assist them in deploying these models and provide the necessary access and support.

The most valuable feature of Posit is that it allows users to host different models in one place, making it easy to share with colleagues and teammates.

I have been working with the product for two to three years. 

We can easily add users by providing AD group access and assigning different access levels—publisher, administrator, or viewer—based on their needs. My company has two instances: production and development. We have around 140 users for production, while for development, we have 180. 

I regularly connect with support whenever there are any issues. However, there is a time lag due to time zone differences. 

If you're setting up Posit for the first time, it's quite easy. They provide a detailed admin guide with step-by-step instructions, making the deployment process straightforward.

What do you like best about the product?

The best thing about mapping with RStudio is the ease with which you can adapt your data to what you need to express. Being such a quick language to learn, with RStudio and its tools you just need to be clear on how to convey your idea so that others understand it. Without a doubt, RStudio will help you with that, just take advantage of it.

What do you dislike about the product?

One aspect to improve is the design of the graphics, in this case of the maps. With the changes that exist in the different software of this type, RStudio must set its course towards higher quality in the graphics it generates.

What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?

When working with market studies, I need to find different ways to express the variables I use. Therefore, with a simple NPS on a national scale, I had the opportunity to graph it on a geographic map, which helped me see the behavior of this indicator in the country, including by States and Municipalities.

What do you like best about the product?

RStudio is designed to offer an integrated development environment. RStudio is the reason why I chose programming in R. It is easy to use and the design is ideal. I also like that it is easy to update packages. The most outstanding feature is that it not only offers code auto-completion but also file path auto-completion. Although learning to program in R is somewhat complex at first, with RStudio it is easier and worth it.

What do you dislike about the product?

In general, I have no complaints about RStudio. The only thing I can mention is that it takes a while to load the environment. It takes time to process large datasets and they could implement the use of multiple processors. Still, it remains one of the best interfaces for using R.

What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?

I use RStudio for complex statistical analyses such as structural equation models, Bayesian analyses, and hierarchical models. Fundamentally, I use it for research.

Recommendations to others considering the product:

Be patient with the R language. It is complex and takes time to learn, but once you master it, there is nothing better, and RStudio provides all the possible facilities to achieve it.