Should you purchase a data pipeline or build one in-house? (Self Assessment Questions)
Companies are relying more than ever on unstructured data to define the strategic direction of their business, influence new products and services, and make real-time adjustments to customer applications.
In other words, unstructured data and the pipeline that delivers it are important.
So important that for many companies their first instinct is to build their own data pipeline solution.
But building your own data pipeline solution vs. integrating a turnkey data pipeline like Datastreamer, isn’t always the best decision.
Here are a few key questions to consider when debating which path makes the most sense for your company.
1. Do you have the resources in house to build your own data pipeline?
Most companies have an in-house team with the capability to build their own unstructured data pipeline. The real question is whether that team has the time.
Will building your data pipeline be the only project your data team is focused on, or will it be one of many? And remember, besides the coding stage, they’ll also have testing, documentation, optimization and set up to do.
In contrast, the Datastreamer platform is a turnkey data pipeline solution that can be integrated with your company’s systems 5X faster, freeing up valuable time for your data team to focus on the analytics so necessary to drive insightful business decisions.
Datastreamer is a simpler, less infrastructure-intensive solution. This efficiency translates into cost-effectiveness. By implementing the Datastreamer platform as their unstructured data pipeline solution, customers from around the world have saved an average of $700,000.
2. Can you maintain your own data pipeline?
Building your unstructured data pipeline solution is one thing, maintaining it is another.
Regular monitoring and troubleshooting must be performed.
System failures can occur and will have to be addressed.
New data sources, connection changes and upgrades will need to be integrated seamlessly.
It takes a dedicated data team to ensure your pipeline continues to deliver your data, uninterrupted.
This point was echoed in findings from a recent survey of 300 data and analytics leaders conducted by Wakefield Research. The report found that data engineers, at companies that had in-house data pipeline solutions, spend nearly 50% of their time building and maintaining unstructured data pipelines.
By opting for a turnkey data pipeline solution such as Datastreamer, your data team can wipe their hands clean of this responsibility.
Instead, the Datastreamer team of experts will take care of the maintenance for you.
3. How quickly can you add new sources of data to your pipeline?
Being able to add new sources of unstructured data to your pipeline solution can be crucial if trends and real-time events play an integral role in the business decisions your company makes. Unfortunately, if you’re operating your own unstructured data pipeline adding new sources may not happen in a timely fashion.
The Datastreamer platform turns that scenario into a different story.
With this turnkey data pipeline solution your team can add internal and external unstructured data to your pipeline in minutes instead of months.
Datastreamer is continuously adding world-class data partners to its pipeline too; partners such as Opoint, WebSighLine, Twingly, Private IA and Vital4 to name just a few. They, and many more, can be added to the Datastreamer product stream through our API; integration is as simple as a parameter change.
Discover why purchasing the Datastreamer platform is more efficient than building your own unstructured data platform.