Data Abstraction Layer
Problem – Complexity and Agility Require Data Abstraction
All large enterprises and government agencies today have significant volumes of complex, diverse data spread across various technology and application silos. Each source has its own access mechanisms, syntax, security, etc., and few are structured properly for consumption, let alone reuse. Data abstraction overcomes data structure incompatibility by transforming data from its native structure and syntax into reusable views and data services that are easy for application developers to understand and solutions to consume.
Solution – Use Data Virtualization to Architect a Data Abstraction Layer
From an enterprise architecture point of view, Composite data virtualization may be implemented as a semantic abstraction or data services layer in support of multiple consuming applications. Sometimes called Information-As-A-Service by Forrester Research or SOA Data Services by Gartner, this middle layer of reusable services decouples the underlying source data and consuming solution layers. This provides the flexibility required to deal with each layer in the most effective manner, as well as the agility to work quickly across layers as applications, schemas or underlying data sources change.
Data Abstraction Layer
Selected Examples
- Meeting Multiple Reporting Needs via a Data Services Layer – A major money-center bank used data virtualization in this way to support multiple reporting requirements including prime brokerage, reconciliation, risk management, and more (over 25 applications in all), from across over 200 disparate sources and thereby accelerate new reporting development and reduce IT costs.
- Accelerating Time to Market via Data Abstraction – Pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, Inc., has built a data abstraction layer to simplify and accelerate access to a wide range of research and clinical trials data across its R&D, marketing and manufacturing teams. Using Composite in this way provides decision makers with the information required to bring new drugs to market faster, while adhering strictly to FDA regulations.
