Data virtualization had been held back by complexity for decades until recent advances in cloud technology, data lakes, networking hardware, and machine learning transformed the dream into reality. In this fireside chat, hear from authors of the new O’Reilly book Data Virtualization in the Cloud, Dr. Daniel Abadi and Andrew Mott, as they discuss in detail what data virtualization is and the trends in technology that are making data virtualization increasingly useful. Moderated by Starburst’s Field CDO Adrian Estala, the trio will explore the architecture of modern data virtualization systems and learn how these systems differ from one another at technical and practical levels.

We're in the a Cambrian Explosion of data architectures. In the last two years, dozens of vendors have each championed their own version of ‘the modern data architecture solution’, all claiming to be the future of IT in a data-driven enterprise. The sheer volume of architectures is daunting: Streaming data platforms, data lakes, structured/semi-structured/unstructured data, cloud data warehouses supporting external tables and federated query processing, lakehouses, data fabric, and layers of federated query platforms that offer virtual views of data. All claim to support the building of data products.

No surprise that customers are confused as to which option to choose. 

However, key changes have emerged including much broader support for open table formats such as Apache Iceberg, Apache Hudi and Delta Lake in many other vendor data platforms. In addition, we have seen significant new milestones in extending the ISO SQL Standard to support new kinds of analytics in general purpose SQL. Also, AI has also advanced to work across any type of data. 

What does this all mean for data management? What is the impact of this on analytical data platforms and what does it mean for customers? What opportunities does this evolution open up for tools vendors whose data foundation is reliant on other vendor database management systems and data platforms? This session looks at this evolution, helping vendors and IT professionals alike realise the potential of what’s now possible and how they can exploit it for competitive advantage.

The industry has witnessed some tectonic changes over the last few years: on prem to cloud to multi-cloud, BI to AI to GenAI, and data warehouses to data lakes to data lakehouses, to name a few. This constant evolution coupled with the ever-increasing demands of the business makes platform thinking crucial in order to ensure a future-proof infrastructure. As companies race to advance their AI strategies, Dell has seen a gravitational pull towards a modern data architecture that can create high quality data to feed AI and generate high quality outcomes. Join this session to learn about how the Dell Data Lakehouse, powered by Starburst, is the modern paradigm for this new era. You’ll learn about the investments Dell is making in data, analytics, and AI, why Dell and Starburst partnered up on this solution, and how it enables a tremendously powerful yet open and flexible data architecture.

In this fireside chat, Mike Ferguson—Europe’s leading industry analyst in data management and analytics—talks to Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at IBM on what IBM is doing to help companies get maximum business value from data and AI.

The discussion will explore what IBM sees as the key things needed to become successful with AI. This includes talking about embracing hybrid cloud computing to support data and deploy AI anywhere; dealing with the challenge of distributed data estate; and exploring integrated data and AI technology stacks and AI assistants that help companies tear down data silos, share data, and quickly build and integrate AI, augmentation, and automation into every part of their business. Finally, it will also explore how IBM is helping accomplish this while maintaining end-to-end data and AI governance.

The Data Engineer's role amidst the rise of big data, cloud computing, and AI-driven analytics has shifted. This panel chat explores the ever-changing landscape of essential skills and the automation of outdated ones. With a myriad of architectural options available, we'll dissect how organizations navigate the complexities to tailor solutions to their specific needs. Let's unravel the intricacies of building scalable data systems, pinpointing common breakpoints and strategies for efficient scaling. Come along as we delve into in constructing the foundation of the data-driven future.

In this session, Chad Sanderson, CEO of Gable.ai and author of the upcoming O’Reilly book: "Data Contracts," tackles the necessity of modern data management in an age of hyper iteration, experimentation, and AI. He will explore why traditional data management practices fail and how the cloud has fundamentally changed data development. The talk will cover a modern application of data management best practices, including data change detection, data contracts, observability, and CI/CD tests, and outline the roles of data producers and consumers. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of modern data management's components and how to leverage them for better data handling and decision-making.