Cloud, multicloud, and the data refinery

Description

Cloud computing seems simple, but it raises almost as many issues as it solves. For instance, can we use on-premises computing systems together with cloud systems (hybrid cloud systems) or build systems that are truly cloud neutral? The ability for enterprise customers to leverage the power of cloud providers beyond their existing domain as infrastructure or software providers requires that systems be built in a way that reverses the decades-old mantra of vendor lock-in. We are going through a once-in-a-lifetime revolution in the creation, development, and delivery of applications. This shift in technology platforms and architectures offers engineers and architects an opportunity to rethink the way applications are constructed and move away from traditional application methods to refocus our energy on the real raw material: data.

Tom Fisher explores the life of data in the new world—everything from appropriate tagging to data lineage and how to enable learning on this data—focusing on moving data through a refinery process to glean and maximize its value every step of the way. Tom covers what’s important to data scientists to the practical life of the data engineer, introduces a new concept—data operations—and discusses the practical roles and responsibilities for people who perform that task in the new world of data-driven engineering.

You’ll learn why the refinement of data requires a solid training capability and critical thinking around understanding what the data is telling us as it moves through the refinement process. You’ll also discover how to integrate traditional methods with this new paradigm easier. Along the way, Tom details the appropriate use of cloud platforms in the new data-driven economy, how the new emerging technologies can help all of us do a better job, and the ways in which customers and consumers can adopt and drive the rapid adoption of these approaches and technologies to deliver the ultimate goal: a data-driven economy.