Benjamin Taub

❄DATA CLOUD USER GROUP❄ As luck would have it, our next Snowflake Dallas User Group topic (which was selected several weeks back) is quite timely in light of recent events. 📣 Join us next Tuesday (May 28) to hear Sanjay Kattimani talk about business continuity and disaster recovery. Sanjay will give us a detailed exploration of Snowflake's disaster recovery capabilities, where he will delve into the advanced mechanisms designed to protect your data from unexpected disruptions. Our session will kick off with an in-depth look at Snowflake's features that enhance data resilience and support seamless business continuity. We'll cover key aspects of disaster recovery and demonstrate how Snowflake addresses potential data failure scenarios. 🌟 The demonstration will include: ➡ Replication Processes: Understand how data is replicated across accounts to ensure availability. ➡ Sample Account Failover: See how Snowflake handles a failover process in real-time. ➡ Sample connected application and its behaviors during DR events. Sanjay will also discuss strategies for automating the detection of disaster recovery events, as well as the steps involved in the failover and failback processes. ❓ The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A segment, allowing you to engage directly with Snowflake experts and gain insights into best practices and operational efficiencies for disaster recovery. 🚀 Come be a part of an amazing community -- Dallas is one of the local Texas user groups that is growing fast (there are also groups in Austin and Houston!). Everyone is welcome at our in-person Snowflake events, whether you're new to Snowflake or a seasoned expert. 😎 See you soon in Carrollton at the Dallas Makerspace! #datacloud #datasuperhero #snowflakesquad #disasterrecovery

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It's the AI Data Cloud vs Data Intelligence Platform - Let's get ready to WRANGLE!!! 🥊🥊 If you weren't able to go to both Snowflake and Databricks events in San Francisco a few weeks back then invest an hour and watch/listen to Sanjeev Mohan's excellent and comprehensive podcast overview. ☺ And even if you did go, I respectfully doubt you caught all the details like he did! 🤩 Sanjeev distills the hype and reality of these platform players and is able to go deep while also keeping his analysis accessible and relatable! 🤗 As someone who NEVER peeks under the hood, I depend on him to give me the true expert's views of technology developments. 🥳 Check it out! #datastorytelling #snowflake #databricks #datamanagement

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An interesting study from Bill Schmarzo and Mark Stouse in Data Science Central "We have been vocal about my belief that organizations focusing on GenAI-driven productivity improvements rather than GenAI-driven innovation improvements are missing the bigger prize. GenAI tools can create value for an organization, but that increase in value is inconsistent. On one hand, GenAI tools can improve the productivity (efficiency) of below-average workers. On the other hand, they can significantly boost the innovation (effectiveness) of top-performing workers who better understand critical value-creation concepts such as data science, design thinking, and economics." #ai #genai #automation #productivity #innovation #teckedin https://lnkd.in/g7kgMnxf

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🌐 Compare SAS Viya to Palantir Foundry on the Azure Government Cloud 🌐 For organizations leveraging the Microsoft Azure cloud, SAS Viya stands out. Designed for scalability, SAS Viya seamlessly integrates with Azure, bringing unmatched analytical power, advanced AI, and data governance capabilities. SAS Viya enables highly customizable, open-source integration across a variety of tools, empowering data teams with more flexibility to innovate and meet specific needs while enhancing your Microsoft tools. Viya’s robust, cloud-native infrastructure ensures top-tier performance and security, tailored for complex environments like government and healthcare. SAS Viya mitigates blackbox technology leaving you in full control of your data with reviewable analytics, base SAS - open source - no code and generative AI coding, and automated model ops, model performance cards and bias mitigation. Did I mention the 204% ROI Forrester found when running Viya on Azure? #SASViya #AzureCloud #DataAnalytics #AIModernization #DataGovernance #TrustworthyAI #NoBlackbox

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One of the trends emerging out of the Snowflake Summit last week is the release of companion apps for Snowflake's query engine. ➡️ We've always had excellent results with ANSI SQL and a rich native dialect; ➡️ Python/Scala/Java have been "transpiled" to SQL in recent times to support non-declarative data engineering; ➡️ Graph/Network analysis isn't supported in any way and is informally considered to be a bit too niche to be a native roadmap item; But there's a way to bypass the latter constraint now. One of the startups getting quite a bit of buzz was relational.ai. They bring a companion app to process graph analysis on data available in Snowflake. It is available as a Snowflake Marketplace App. Underlying, it is available on Snowflake Container Services. This service allows to run external software within the contract perimeters of your Snowflake tenant. As a result, we're now able to store and query relational data using declarative (SQL) as well as graph queries (using RelationalAI's REL language). This comes in addition to the recently released support for vector similarity and text search using the native Vector datatype and the upcoming Cortex Search indexer. It makes the "store once/process many" marketing claim just about as broad as it gets. Our first testing results are VERY promising, both from a technical as well as a governance point-of-view. Not ready to refactor your existing network analysis apps to REL? Apparently Neo4j has a similar marketplace app in the making. #snowflake #relationalai

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I'm always on the lookout for data conferences that deliver real value. After years on the circuit, here are my top 3. Let’s dive in, #1. A-Team Data Management Summit This is my Goldilocks conference - not too big, not too small, just right. It offers top-notch content that's always relevant to the current challenges we face as data leaders. What sets it apart is the thoughtful vendor integration, providing insights without the hard sell. Full disclosure: I'm on the advisory board and that's because I truly believe in what they're doing. #2. FIMA in Boston FIMA in Boston has become my annual reunion. It's where I reconnect with industry colleagues while engaging with what's new and working now. What I love most is how it balances cutting-edge discussions with real-world problem-solving. It's like getting a year's worth of peer consultations packed into a few days. #3. FIMA Connect in Florida As a New Yorker, I'm not complaining about a Florida getaway in December! If you're looking for an intimate setting, a fun getaway, and for cultivating deep connections in our industry, this is your best bet. Here's the thing: Bigger isn't always better in the conference world. Often, it's the smaller, focused events that pack the biggest punch. What's your favorite conference? Share it in the comments below. *** 1500+ data executives are subscribed to the 'Leading with Data' newsletter. Every Friday morning, I'll email you 1 actionable tip to accelerate the business potential of your data & make it an organisational priority. Would you like to subscribe? Click on ‘View My Blog’ right below my name at the start of this post.

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Modernizing SAS technology can actually save federal agencies A LOT of money 💲(yes, you read that right) Moving to SAS Viya from your legacy SAS technology like server and PC base SAS on premise tools SAS 9 SIGNIFICANTLY reduces operational costs, reduces down time, reduces compute times over legacy and open source investments, allows for in-memory cloud processing to cut cloud costs, fully integrates open source and no code technology, and maximize you IT software footprint all while outperforming our competitors. We kept the receipts to prove it - The Futurum Group found SAS Viya AI and analytics platform is 30 times faster, more scalable and 86% more cost-effective than commercial and open source alternatives. Like any investment, ROI on AI should be quantifiable, transparent, and easily explainable. “ Forrester Total Economic Impact™ study highlights faster time to market, improved decisioning and cost savings brought by SAS and Microsoft partnership” https://lnkd.in/eFHfwH9T At SAS our incredible value engineering team with Ryan Newman and Elizabeth Croll can show you detailed Total Cost of Operations, Return on Investment, and ways to cut cost by removing duplicative or outdated software. In a recent assessment our team was able to show a federal customer potential savings of more than $150 million dollars. #AIModernization #DigitalTransformation #AIFederal #GovTech #CostSavings #GovernmentInnovation #Automation #CloudComputing #DataAnalytics #AIInGovernment #PublicSectorInnovation #EfficiencyThroughAI #FutureOfWork U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs VA Office of Information and Technology Defense Health Agency https://lnkd.in/ewNAHiKJ

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After 20 years of data work, I have seen MANY bad decisions... There are three big things that impact all of them. Read all about them in my latest substack post, free to all subscribers. Data leaders, what lessons have you learned over your years of analyzing things, making changes, and then seeing what happens? https://lnkd.in/gqFWdJFX

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Data: A Thriving Garden, Not a Weekend Project Last night's joint session between The Circuit’s CIO Circle and the University of Cincinnati’s Center for Business Analytics moderated by Tracy Ruberg and Tim Cholvat on analytics and data was worth attending! The panel discussion, made up of a combination of Senior IT Leaders and Senior Analytics Leaders, delved deep into analytics and data management, and it sparked a thought I often encountered with IT and business leaders. Many seem to view data as a one-time project – a defined start and end date with a clear set of deliverables. But here's the truth: Data is a living ecosystem. Think of your organization's data like the landscaping in front of your house. You can trim the bushes, remove weeds, and add fresh mulch (data cleaning, organization, and structuring). But the moment you walk away, nature takes its course. Bushes grow, weeds resurface, and the overall condition deteriorates. It requires ongoing attention. The same goes for data. It continuously evolves, and external factors can significantly impact its quality. New data points are added, existing ones change, and external factors like system upgrades and changes can create inconsistencies. Just like your garden, neglecting data leads to decay - hindering insights and potentially impacting decisions. Here's the key takeaway: Data management isn't a quick fix. It's a continuous process. The CDO (Chief Data Officer) or your designated "data gardener" needs ongoing support to ensure a healthy data ecosystem. This might involve: regular data cleansing and maintenance; implementing processes to capture new data; monitoring quality; and adapting to evolving technologies and business needs By overcoming the "project mindset" and fostering a collaborative data management approach, we can unlock the true potential of data. After all, a thriving data garden cultivates valuable insights that drive business growth! #data #universityofcincinnati #datamanagement #cincinnatiitcommunity #networking #analytics #ai #cincinnatiai #thecircuit #ciocircle #cincinnaticdo #cdo #chiefdataofficer

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📢 Data Literacy: The Key to Unlocking Your Organization's Potential! 🗝️ As the Director of Innovation, I've come across countless strategies and trends in the world of data. But one thing remains constant: data literacy is the most important building block for any successful data strategy. 💡 In a recent video interview, Kim Weis, the Chief Data Officer at North Dakota Information Technology, shared her insights on the crucial role of data literacy in their statewide data strategy. She emphasized that data literacy is not just for data creators or executive leadership, but for every role in the data life cycle. 🌐 Kim Weis admitted that earlier in her career, data education and awareness were not prioritized. However, as the strategic use of data became more prevalent, the need for data literacy grew exponentially. She now considers it the foundational building block for any data strategy. 🏗️ But what exactly is data literacy? It's the ability to read, interpret, and communicate data effectively. It's about having an open and curious mindset, seeing the world through "data glasses," and understanding the language of data. It's not just about technical skills, but also critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving. 📊 So, how can organizations foster a data-literate culture? Kim Weis suggests partnering closely with human resource management services to establish successful data literacy programs within organizations. By developing a clear case for change, launching targeted pilots, amplifying success stories, and supporting and inspiring communities, organizations can pave the way for a thriving data culture. 🌱 But the benefits of data literacy go beyond just improving decision-making and increasing productivity. It also leads to enhanced communication, increased reputation, and innovation. Data literacy enables individuals and organizations to make better use of data, derive meaningful insights, and drive business outcomes. It ensures that data is managed and used in ethical and compliant ways. 🚀 So, whether you're a leader, manager, or board member, data literacy is essential for your organization's success. It's time to prioritize data literacy education for all employees and reap the long-term benefits of data-driven decision-making. Let's unlock the potential of data together! 💪 #DataLiteracy #DataStrategy #DataCulture #Innovation #Leadership

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Overall, how would you rate the event? (Answered: 291 Skipped: 1) Not a bad days work for MinneAnalytics and the #DataTech 2024 Conference. I consider that response rate a win too. Sean Larson John Hogue Anya M. Daniel Feldman Jake Mason #DataScience #MachineLearning #Ai GenAi #DataEngineering

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The next #Analytics TUG (#Tableau User Group) is this Thursday! I highly recommend that you check out Lisa Trescott's presentation "At the Speed of Iron Viz: Tips for Faster Builds" for extremely practical tips to save time ⏱ when you build dashboards. Tableau has tons of shortcuts, and trimming a few seconds here and there can add up to hours saved. I caught this presentation at the virtual conference (#TC24) and loved it! Also on tap: 👾 Louis Yu is presenting on #GamesNightViz, where some of the coolest #TableauPublic work is happening. 📅 Ojoswi Basu shows how to create a Dynamic Date Picker with a hands-on demo. Giving your users the right date options (flexible, but not confusing) is super-important! Register: https://lnkd.in/eBZ6TC8F TUG Organizations: Annabelle Rincon, Chimdi Nwosu, Prasann Prem #DataViz #DataVisualization

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As a Snowflake Alum, I was initially nervous with Snowflake's seemingly late entry into the Generative AI race. But my initial doubts have turned into enthusiasm lately as Snowflake's strategy appears to be taking shape. From its very beginning, everything Snowflake has introduced has been geared toward efficiency and ease of use, and it's clearly no different with their efforts in the Generative AI space. The true promise of Gen AI is not whether or not it can do your child's homework, but how it can be integrated into everyday business activities that drive growth and efficiency. With the launch of Arctic, Snowflake's vision for the future of Generative AI is becoming much clearer. Get your popcorn ready!!! #ITconsulting #technologyconsulting #Snowflake #TheGreenLeafWay https://lnkd.in/ej-Gm3HG

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It’s clear that the data market is moving towards solutions that integrate data from multiple and diverse sources. Snowflake and Databricks are good examples. These companies are at the forefront of this movement, as this article explains. One of the key factors in this shifting landscape is, unsurprisingly, data, given its role in today’s business actions. Data has never been as important as today, as it’s become a necessary part of each business workflow across sectors, informing operations and making them more efficient than ever before. Moreover, the implementation of AI has further improved data models, allowing them to provide clear and simple requests-response outcomes. The idea of unifying platforms into comprehensive solutions that can cater to users’ needs more efficiently is something we at GoldenSource are very passionate about, with all our efforts driving us further down that road. After all, it’s becoming clearer by day that’s the future of data management platforms. Do you agree?

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Great utility for organizations to access all of their data through the Meta data and The organic competition between snowflake and data bricks keeps this space interesting for new product features. However, the big question will be how much metadata can this glean from competitive products especially if it is not made readily available. Creating the capability is the first step, but generating enough clout for all products to adapt for metadata exposure will decide the success!!

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Enlightening post by Kyle Hale on the future of BI. Learn more about Databricks AI/BI Genie https://lnkd.in/eN2bX_Ta!

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I presented this at the #ANA Analytics & Data Science Committee meeting in New York City last week. I talked about why customer-centric data refinement is necessary in the age of ubiquitous data and AI. Please take a listen if you are interested in high-level data-driven marketing. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. #data #analytics #CDP #customerdata #marketing #marketingautomation #targetmarketing #personalization #modeling #datamart #sandbox https://lnkd.in/ektptvtt

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Data leaders need to address technical and organizational roadblocks to capitalize on AI and data management efforts and underscores the critical role of data management in successfully implementing and maximizing the benefits of generative AI. OYO.Digital Datexis Digital Didier Blouzard John Rohloff Vincent Hontebeyrie #datacleanroom #genai #datamanagement #ai

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