Data Company Central

In May and June, visionary technology leaders representing global brands convened at four Data Company Summits (DCS) across the world to discuss strategies for uniting sustainability and digital transformation— issues that are paramount to modern enterprises. I’m proud to say that the panel discussions, keynote sessions, and networking receptions at each summit produced vibrant conversations about topics such as data management, compliance, cybersecurity, carbon footprints, and IT power consumption. Technology leaders who attended the data company summits learned key, actionable insights from their peers about improving and uniting sustainability and digital transformation that they can apply to their organizations. 

When I reflect back on the many ideas that were shared at the data company summits in New York, Paris, Newport Beach, and Chicago, three central points stand out as the biggest takeaways from these events: 

1) Gaining faster access to test data is essential to achieve successful digital transformation

Throughout each data company summit, speakers consistently discussed test data’s key role in enterprise initiatives. Molina Healthcare Chief Technology Officer Gary Ahwah and Associate VP Enterprise Infrastructure Services Bharani Krish explained at DCS Newport Beach that, as enterprises’ most important asset, data must be able to flow across the enterprise without constraints to ensure its success.

Yet too often, getting the right data to the right teams takes weeks or even months, which inhibits enterprises’ ability to execute projects at speed. As it stands, legacy test data management strategies such as using synthetic data, data subsets, or standalone masking forces enterprises to accept trade-offs in data speed, quality, and compliance, which should be unacceptable to modern enterprises. 

Harnessing API-driven data automation via a DevOps data platform such as Delphix, however, can modernize test data management by virtualizing data, masking it, and enabling it to flow efficiently across clouds. This improves data speed, quality, and compliance, which accelerates application development and allows enterprises to maintain their competitive edge. 

2) Technology leaders can use data automation to promote sustainability for environmental causes and more

Data automation can accomplish far more than just improving test data management. It can also improve sustainability— Ahwah and Krish described, for example, how Delphix allowed Molina to slash data storage from 4 PB to 200 TB, reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

But sustainability transcends environmental excellence— it can also be applied to a company’s entire environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework. Consider company culture— at DCS Newport Beach, Wells Fargo CIO Tracy Kerrins discussed how candid, transparent communication, diversity of thought, background, and interests, and prioritizing execution and accountability are invaluable components when creating a vibrant yet sustainable company culture. 

Data platforms can be used as a platform to directly improve social/cultural sustainability within organizations, as well. Implementing Delphix has allowed Molina to cater more to development teams by provisioning development environments in just 10 minutes, marking a vast improvement over the 2-3 day period it took the company to previously spin these environments up. It underscores how data affects our lives in innumerable ways— and that the sky remains the limit for IT innovation.

3) Achieving better sustainability in IT requires technology leaders’ collaboration

At DCS Chicago, Lumentum SVP and CIO Ralph Loura made a great point in noting how IT has transformed industries by rethinking them within a digital context, citing how ridesharing companies have rethought the transportation industry with their apps. In that same fashion, Loura said, IT should also rethink its own systems to improve sustainability. 

SustainableIT.org is poised to help technology leaders advance their sustainability programs and practices by building frameworks and roadmaps to establish and measure sustainability in ways that are consistent with IT industry peers. More specifically, SustainableIT.org will define sustainable transformation programs, author best practices, set standards and certifications, provide education and training, and raise awareness for environmental and societal programs that make organizations and the world sustainable for generations to come.

BNP Paribas Group CIO Bernard Gavgani remarked at DCS Paris that IT leaders have the responsibility to improve sustainability for the sake of future generations — and Gavgani noted that learning from each other is a key step towards accomplishing those goals. With a growing board of directors composed of visionary technology leaders from multiple disciplines and backgrounds, SustainableIT.org has a robust brain trust in place to define the roadmap for the future of sustainable IT.

But even with a diverse, experienced board of directors, SustainableIT.org will rely on other industry leaders to help it advance its mission of improving sustainability in IT. That’s why SustainableIT.org has issued an open call to technology leaders to get involved with the organization in advancing global sustainability through technology leadership.

Collaborating with Delphix and SustainableIT.org, gives enterprises the opportunity to improve their digital transformation initiatives and make the world a better, more sustainable place for generations to come.

Explore the Delphix DevOps Data Platform to advance your organization’s digital transformation and help improve sustainability across your ESG framework

Get involved with SustainableIT.org to help define macro-level changes within IT and help preserve the planet