How can a company retain greater control of its data?

While more than 60% of large enterprises opt for third-party maintenance (TPM) services for their IT infrastructure, some want more sway over their data. 

A global management consulting firm that relied on third-party services for database maintenance sought better data management and ownership as its operations grew. 

How did it retain greater control over its data?

To migrate its entire database infrastructure to a more autonomous system, this global management firm hired BRF Consulting in partnership with Red Pill Analytics. 

“The goal of the migration wasn't to limit the system, but to gain independence to operate it internally [because] the previous system, managed by IBM, did not offer the level of control and autonomy the client required,” explains BRF Data Engineer and Consultant Leonardo Farias.

Farias helped the project focus on ETL processes, contributing with analytical skills, data storytelling, data cleaning, and database management for more than two years. He also contributed as a developer.

"I was brought in to support this transition and help ensure a smooth migration process," he explains. "These were key areas of expertise required to support [this client's] internal data initiatives." 

How can a company retain greater control of its data? (Source: BRF Consulting, LLC/Canva)

What tools were used?

Farias helped with the transition from SAP HANA (an environment previously managed by IBM) to Oracle DB (which allowed the client to take full ownership of its database management and internal operations) with the following technologies:

• Snowflake served as the data warehouse, and dbt was the primary ETL tool for structuring, transforming, and scheduling data workflows.

• Python scripts helped with more advanced automations and custom processing tasks, such as the extensive translation work due to discrepancies between the old and new systems.

• Jira was applied for task management and team coordination.

What were the results?

By the time Farias concluded his involvement, he had successfully helped this client's database go live across three operational regions.  

"Feedback from these deployments was very positive, with users noting improved data accessibility and clarity," Farias says. 

This client is now aiming to roll out the new system globally. 

And because of its international presence, Farias had the opportunity to collaborate with teams from around the world. 

"This experience strengthened my ability to work in large, distributed teams and gave me valuable insight into how large organizations manage complex, data-driven projects at scale," he concludes.

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About the author: Anna Lopes is the Communications Associate for BRF Consulting.

Leonardo Farias is a Data Engineer at BRF Consulting.

BRF Consulting is a Salesforce ISV partner specializing in Salesforce Agent Force, Artificial Intelligence, Data Engineering, and Software Development, assisting businesses to scale and become more efficient. For more information about our services, email us at contact@brfconsulting.com.