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Modernizing Data Architecture using Data Virtualization for Agile Data Delivery

Dave Kay, Data Consultant

UKGI Data, Analytics and Architecture

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55,000Employees (approximately)

170+Countries

USD 4.6 bnBusiness operating profit

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The Zurich Group Operates a Federated Model for Data

Deliveries.

Group Function – Delivers Data Framework

Satellite Function – ZNA

Satellite Function – UKGI & UK Life

Satellite Function – Zurich Switzerland BU

Etc…

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Big change coming in Insurance – the ability to respond at pace is key to success.

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Learn about and build plans for:

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Driving toward a near future that

encompasses:

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With ambition for a longer term

where:

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Sch

ed

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Data

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Deli

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User

Access

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Reduce

CostFlex

Resource

Raise

throughputAccelerate

change

• Cost of change prohibitive to generating value from data

• Slower time to market inhibiting impact of good analytics

• Complexity of solution can cause delivery bottlenecks

• Bespoke coded solution requires unique resource to maintain

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Data

Landing

Conformed

Warehouse

Data Hub Interface

Layer

• Data landed into infrastructure from disparate sources

• Conformed enterprise data warehouse provides central storage

• Data hub providing single ‘user facing’ data source

• Simplified Interface layer landscape – single point of entry

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Business Need: Provide daily MI and intra-day

Operational Reporting for a community of business

analysts, salesmen, underwriters, managers and

actuarial staff – off the back of a brand new system.

• XML Source with over 13,000 elements, 10+ products

• XML Schema not available

• Data items and schema differ dramatically per

product type

• Fast pace of change

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• Subset of data ‘shredded’ via XSLT – immediately reduces scope

(250 items)

• SSIS transforms at multiple points generate maintenance difficulties

• Data effectively replicated multiple times

• Change Request process lengthy and expensive

• Specialist development skills required

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• XML made available into new DAA architecture for ingestion

• Denodo used as a virtual staging wrapper

• Views over XML representing core entities for reporting (Relational

View) virtualised in Denodo – cached to SQL Server

• Relational, Reporting and Analytical stores published as

consumable data sets via Denodo

• Two tier interface:

• Rapid interactive access to quickly changing data for ad-hoc

queries via Alteryx, JDBC, REST etc

• Stable, conformed relational marts virtualised & cached for

exploration, analysis and visualisation in Qlik etc

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Data

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tua

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Reduce

CostFlex

Resource

Raise

throughputAccelerate

change

• Cost model reduced

• Significantly quicker time to market

• Greater throughput

• Resource pool expanded