FAQs

Learn the common questions about the data products.

What is a “data prison”?

This term describes a situation where data is trapped in silos or systems and cannot be easily shared, analyzed, or integrated with other data sources. Data Prisons can occur because of a lack of data interoperability, data governance, or a failure to implement data management best practices–many times a combination of all three. As a result of these limitations, organizations cannot extract meaningful insights from their data, leading to inefficiencies such as duplicated efforts, lost data, and decreased trust in data quality. A data prison can also result in missed business oportunities and a failure to predict and react to disruption.

What is a “data lake”?

A data lake is a centralized repository allowing organizations to store both structured and unstructured data at any scale. Where a traditional data warehouse is optimized for structured data and requires a predefined schema, a data lake can store any type of data in its raw format. Organizations are free to store data in its original form, making analytics more flexible and easier to scale. Companies can integrate data lakes with other big data tools and technologies to enable advanced analytics, machine learning, and real-time data processing. Data Lakes allow organizations a comprehensive view of their data, leading to insights and business value that might not be possible with traditional data management methods.

What is a data lake used for?

Organizations can use data lakes for a variety of purposes, including:

Data warehousing: Managing and storing large volumes of structured and unstructured data from different sources
Big data analytics: Foundations for processing and analyzing large, complex data sets
Machine learning: Providing the storage and processing infrastructure needed for training and deploying machine learning models
Data integration: Integrating data from multiple sources into a centralized repository
Real-time data processing: Processing and analyzing real-time data streams
Data archiving: Storing long-term data that is not frequently accessed but still valuable to the organization
Data exploration: Allowing data scientists, analysts, and business users to explore available data and discover new insights
Data governance: Managing and controlling access to data based on organizational policies and security requirements
Compliance: Facilitating the storage and management of data for compliance with regulations and standards such as GDPR or CCPA.

What is a “data fabric”?

A data fabric is a term that describes a seamless and unified data management infrastructure that spans an organization. The data fabric enables data to flow freely and easily between different systems and applications while also providing centralized management and governance of data. It supports the entire data lifecycle–from data ingestion and storage to processing, analysis, and delivery– and includes components such as data lakes, data warehouses, data integration tools, data security and governance tools, and analytics platforms. A data fabric aims to provide a unified data experience for all stakeholders, enabling organizations to overcome silos and leverage their data to drive business value.

What is a “data mesh”?

A data mesh is a decentralized approach to data management that seeks to give data ownership to the business domains or product teams that generate and use the data. The focus is empowering business domains to manage and govern their data while providing a common set of tools and standards to facilitate data sharing and integration across the organization.

A data mesh architecture can include many components, such as data products, domains, contracts, and APIs. Data products are self-contained units of data and metadata that represent a specific business capability. Data domains represent the business or product teams that own and manage the data products. Data contracts define the data shared between data domains, while data APIs provide the means for accessing and integrating data across the organization.

A data mesh aims to promote a more agile, scalable, and collaborative approach to data management while also providing a better user experience for data consumers. It is an alternative to traditional data management techniques, such as data warehousing and data lakes, that can become bureaucratic and siloed over time.

What is the difference between a data fabric and a data mesh?

A data fabric and a data mesh are two different approaches to data management and architecture, each with its own unique set of characteristics and goals. Both seek to unify a company’s data architecture by removing data silos and democratizing access.

A data fabric refers to an organization’s centralized and unified data management infrastructure. The data fabric enables data to flow freely and easily between different systems and applications while also providing centralized management and governance of data. The focus of a data fabric is on creating a seamless and integrated data experience for all stakeholders.

On the other hand, a data mesh is a decentralized approach to data management that seeks to give data ownership to the business domains or product teams that generate and use the data. In a data mesh, data is treated as a first-class product and is managed independently of the applications and systems that use it. A data mesh focuses on empowering business domains to manage and govern their own data while providing a common set of tools and standards to facilitate data sharing and integration across the organization.

What is a “data warehouse”?

A data warehouse is a centralized repository for storing and managing large amounts of data from various sources for use in analytics and business intelligence applications. A data warehouse typically contains historical data for reporting and analysis, optimized for fast querying and aggregations.

Data warehouses are designed to support a wide range of data types, including structured data (such as relational databases), semi-structured data (such as XML or JSON), and unstructured data (such as text or images). The data in a data warehouse is usually transformed and cleaned to ensure consistency and accuracy and is then stored in a format that facilitates easier querying and analysis.

Data warehouses are commonly used to support business intelligence and analytics initiatives, such as reporting, dashboarding, and data mining. They can also be used as a centralized repository for data powering multiple applications and systems, providing a single source of truth for an organization’s data.

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What is a “data silo”?

A data silo is a data management system or repository that operates independently but has become isolated from other data systems and sources within an organization. Data silos can result from many factors, including departmental or functional boundaries, technology or vendor choices and lock-in, or lack of standardization and governance, leading teams to operate and manage data without collaboration.

Data silos can block an organization’s ability to realize the full potential of its data assets. Data silos can lead to data duplication, inconsistency, and difficulty accessing and integrating data across the organization. They can also make it more difficult to enforce data security and governance policies, as data may not be subject to consistent oversight and management.

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What is “data virtualization”?

Data virtualization is a technology allowing companies to create virtual data layers that abstract and simplify access to data from multiple sources, such as databases, data warehouses, and cloud services. It provides a unified view of data from these disparate sources without physically copying or integrating the data.

Data virtualization technology uses a middleware layer between the data consumers and the data sources. This middleware layer maps the data sources to a standard data model and provides a single interface for accessing the data. The data consumers can access the virtual data layer as if it were a single, unified data source, even though the underlying data may reside in multiple systems.

Data virtualization can improve data integration and reduce duplication by allowing multiple data consumers to access the same data. At the same time, it maintains the autonomy and security of individual data sources. It can also improve data access performance by enabling data caching and query optimization and reducing the need for complex data integration processes.

What is a data operating system?

A data operating system is a platform that supports core data functions, including the management, processing, operationalization, and analysis of data across different sources and formats. It is a unified and integrated platform for managing data across an organization, from data ingestion to virtualization, activation, and analytics.
A data operating system includes various components such as data storage, processing, virtualization, and visualization. It may also incorporate data governance and compliance features to ensure that data is protected and used in compliance with relevant regulations.

What does a data operating system do?

A data operating system provides a connective overlay, uniting all data tools within an organization’s architecture — without laborious training, extensive downtime, and uncertainty. Users begin building their own reports and queries right away while the administrators see precisely what is in use and where.

How does a data operating system work?

A data operating system provides a centralized data management, integration, and analysis platform. Organizations can unify data from different sources and formats into one platform where data can also be cleaned, transformed, analyzed, and activated using common tools and processes.A data operating system makes this possible through a range of capabilities, such as data ingestion, data quality management, transformation, storage, governance, compliance, access, and analysis. A combination of built-in features, data APIs, and integrations with other data tools and platforms power these capabilities.

Another key feature of a data operating system is automation, including automating tasks involved in data management and processing, such as data ingestion, data cleaning, and data transformation. This feature saves organizations time and reduces errors while improving data accuracy and consistency.

A data operating system enables organizations to derive more value from their data and make better, data-driven decisions.

Who needs a data operating system?

Most organizations can benefit from a data operating system since it enables more efficient data management and processes, more accessible and trustworthy insights into data, and data-driven decisions. However, organizations that handle large volumes of data and require real-time or near real-time insights into their operations and performance will find it especially useful. Examples of industries and organizations with much to gain from a data operating system include:

Retail: In an industry that requires constant adaptations to changing consumer behaviors and preferences, data becomes an advantage. A data operating system can provide retail organizations with end-to-end visibility into data and enable them to adapt responses in real time — from personalizing promotions to optimizing inventory.
Government agencies: A data operating system can help agencies use legacy systems in modern ways — from improving user experiences internally to powering apps that engage the larger public — while maintaining strict data compliance and security standards.
Healthcare: Healthcare providers, payers, and insurers can use a data operating system to manage patient data, medical records, and clinical data. Data management through a data operating system can help them improve patient care, reduce costs and inefficiencies, and develop innovative, data-driven healthcare solutions.
Distribution companies: A data operating system can help distribution companies leverage large, complex datasets to enable innovations like real-time inventory management, route optimization, supply chain management, and predictive maintenance.

Why should data be treated as an asset?

Treating data as an asset means recognizing the value of data as a strategic resource and applying the same principles and practices to data as, for example, an e-commerce business treats its products. Every data element and set needs a description, definition, tags, etc. In DataOS, this means all data carries a semantic meaning, enabling the platform to move any data element to any user or system in the format that the recipient requires.

Treating data as an asset leads to improved management, more effective security, and the competitive advantage of making better strategic decisions.

What are the benefits of treating data as an asset?

Treating data as an asset leads to improvements in data quality, access, collaboration, efficiency, and security. With access to quality data, businesses can improve the identification of business patterns and trends, optimize their operations, and be proactive rather than reactive.

What is a zero-trust network?

A zero-trust network is a security model that assumes all traffic, whether inside or outside an organization’s network, is potentially malicious and should not be trusted. This assumption means that access to resources, applications, and data depends on the user’s identity, device posture, and other contextual factors rather than their location or network credentials.

A zero-trust network authenticates and authorizes access for every request using robust authentication methods, such as multi-factor authentication and role-based access control. Network traffic is monitored and analyzed in real time using advanced threat detection and response technologies, such as network segmentation and behavioral analysis. This level of monitoring allows security teams to detect and respond to threats quickly before they can cause damage to the network or data.

A zero-trust network can provide a higher level of security than traditional perimeter-based security models, which assume that network traffic from inside the network is trustworthy.

How does a data operating system enable data democratization?

A data operating system enables data democratization by unifying all data into a single source of truth and then enabling easy access to that data for different teams and departments across the organization. It does this by normalizing data using a common set of tools and processes without requiring specialized technical knowledge or skills. A data operating system can include self-service tools that enable business users to access and analyze data independently without relying on IT or data analysts. Self-service allows for true data democratization and empowers business users to make data-driven decisions and explore data in new ways.

How does a data operating system improve data security?

A data operating system can improve data security by providing a centralized platform for data management, enabling granular access control, detecting sensitive data for encryption, simplifying monitoring and auditing of data, and providing holistic data governance.

Centralized data management enables organizations to implement consistent policies and procedures for data security. Consistent policies and procedures help to ensure that all data is appropriately classified, secured, and managed, regardless of where it is stored or used.

Granular access control restricts access to data based on user roles, permissions, and other contextual factors. This level of access helps to prevent unauthorized access and ensure that sensitive data is only accessible to those who need it.

Data encryption adds a layer of security to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, helping to prevent data breaches and minimize the risk of data loss or theft.

Monitor data access and usage in real time and provide audit trails to track changes to data over time. Data monitoring and auditing help to detect and prevent data breaches as well as provide a record of data usage for compliance and regulatory purposes.

Holistic data governance includes policies and procedures for data classification, retention, and disposal, helping to ensure that data is managed in a secure and compliant manner throughout its lifecycle.

What is DataOS?

DataOS is the world’s first operating system, consisting of a set of primitives, services and modules that are interoperable and composable. These building blocks enable organizations to compose various data architectures and dramatically reduce integrations. Enterprises can have a data-driven decision–making experience equivalent to data-first companies in days and weeks, instead of months and years.

What problems does DataOS solve?

DataOS solves many complex data challenges that organizations face by eliminating data siloes, improving scalability, providing advanced security, automating complex data workflows, and making it easy to derive insights from data.

DataOS breaks data silos, allowing for complete visibility and data integration from different sources.

Lack of agility is a common issue, but one that is solved by the flexibility and scalability of the DataOS architecture, allowing organizations to adapt to changing data needs and requirements.

Data security is a major concern for many organizations. DataOS addresses this concern by providing advanced security features, including granular access control, data encryption, and real-time monitoring and auditing.

Complex data workflows can be time-consuming to set up and manage, especially when dealing with large volumes of data. DataOS automates data workflows, enabling organizations to manage data more efficiently and effectively.

The inability to derive insights from data can limit an organization’s ability to make informed business decisions. DataOS provides advanced analytics and visualization tools, enabling organizations to gain insights from their data and make data-driven decisions.

What makes DataOS unique?

DataOS is the world’s first data operating system. It is unique in its ability to provide a unified, flexible, and secure platform for managing and analyzing data. It democratizes data, enhances data governance and compliance, improves data quality and insights, and enables organizations to become more data-driven.

DataOS

Democratizes data by providing a central data management platform, low-code access to data, and easy integration with analytics tools
Provides advanced security features, including granular access control, data encryption, and real-time monitoring and auditing
Offers a unified platform that integrates data from different sources and provides a common set of tools and processes for data management and analysis — allowing flexibility and scalability
Automates data workflows, enabling organizations to manage data more efficiently and effectively

Other solutions

Require specialized technical skills or knowledge to access and analyze data
Lack visibility into siloed data and tools, increasing vulnerability to cyberattacks or unauthorized access
Force data scientists and engineers to act as system integrators to connect data sources and point solutions — only to create a rigid, fragile system
Require more manual intervention, which can increase the risk of errors and reduce data quality

How is DataOS priced?

DataOS pricing is an extension of our product philosophy: focus on finding value in data through activation rather than moving or storing it. We offer two customer-first pricing models to ensure our customers find value in DataOS:

Pay as You Go

No upfront fees
Pay-per-use — pay for the data’s value, not just to process it
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Enterprise

For enterprises with high volumes of usage
Yearly subscription with no limits on use and functionality

Will DataOS work with my current data stack?

Yes — DataOS acts as an operational layer that organizations can apply to all data systems, legacy or modern. It is a flexible platform that can work with a variety of data sources, including data warehouses, data lakes, various databases, and streaming platforms. DataOS supports the integration and activation of unstructured, semi-structured, and structured data.

DataOS also provides connectors for popular data sources such as AWS S3, Snowflake, Google BigQuery, and Kafka. It can also work with popular data science and business intelligence tools like Jupyter Notebooks, Tableau, and Looker.

How is security managed?

Some of the key security features and protocols implemented by DataOS include:

Attribute-based access control: A strong authentication method that allows administrators to determine access by user characteristics, object characteristics, action types, and more
Multi-factor authentication: Another strong authentication method that ensures only authorized users can access the platform
Encryption: DataOS encrypts data in transit and at rest, using industry-standard encryption algorithms to protect sensitive data.
Observability: The detailed audit trails and logs of user activity and data access provided by DataOS allow administrators to monitor and investigate any suspicious activity
Compliance: DataOS simplifies compliance with various industry standards and regulations such as HIPAA, SOC2, and GDPR.
Automated alerts: built-in DataOS capabilities make it easy to set up automatic alerts for potential security breaches, usage limits, and potential data issues.

How do I get started?

To get started with DataOS, contact us to tell us more about your data needs and learn how DataOS can work for you.

Once you have access to the platform, you can follow these general steps to start using DataOS:

Connect your data sources using built-in connectors for popular data sources such as AWS S3, Snowflake, Google BigQuery, and Kafka, among others.
Manage your data from a centralized interface, which allows you to perform operations such as querying, transforming, and cleaning data with data in place. Move only the data that needs to be operationalized which means less risk, lower cost, and significantly more value.
Analyze and visualize your data through any of the integrations that DataOS provides with popular data science and business intelligence tools like Jupyter Notebooks, Tableau, and Looker.
Facilitate collaboration among teams — with clearly defined roles and permissions — on shared data and analytics and invite comments on data objects.
Monitor and optimize your data operations. With DataOS, you get powerful features that allow you to track data usage, performance, and cost and optimize your data operations accordingly.

Who uses DataOS today?

A number of organizations across multiple industries currently use DataOS, including healthcare, finance, e-commerce, and technology. Since the platform is designed to be flexible and scalable, it allows organizations of various sizes and industries to manage and analyze their data more effectively and move quickly from data to decisions.

Do I have to transfer my data into DataOS?

No, you do not have to transfer your data into DataOS. You can use DataOS to connect to and manage your data where it currently resides. To use DataOS, you connect your data sources to the platform.

DataOS provides connectors for a variety of data sources, including data warehouses, data lakes, databases, and streaming platforms. By connecting to these data sources, DataOS allows you to manage your data from a centralized interface, perform operations such as querying and transforming data, activate your data using your existing operational and business applications, and analyze your data using popular data science and business intelligence tools.

You may transfer your data into the DataOS data lake for performance or cost optimization. However, this is not a requirement for using the platform, and you can continue to use your existing data stack with DataOS.

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Think Data Products. Think DataOS

Think Modern.

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