Hybrid Data Pipeline: A Product Manager’s Universal Remote Control

As a product manager, what would constitute your “dream solution”? If you’re like me, you’re looking for something that, quite simply, makes your life easier. Something that streamlines processes, reduces admin, reduces costs and actually delivers measurable value and high level results. Enter DataDirect Hybrid Data Pipeline, which brings the possibility of one source, infinite data access to everyone.

Hybrid Data Pipeline simplifies the whole process of connectivity with SaaS applications by providing a single driver that connects to anything. It shields you from regular API changes, and it gives you ‘future proof’ compatibility by allowing you to connect with new sources in the future without recoding your application. For PMs, this type of versatility allows them to enable support for additional new data sources without completely re-releasing the product, which eliminates significant time and financial investments, as well as countless potential headaches.

Let’s take a look at this from a customer’s point of view. Let’s say an ISV of marketing software decides to support Salesforce data integration with its new application for more complex reporting and workflows. Developers spend 10 months building connectivity into their application and then release it to their customers.

Three months later, Salesforce changes its API, and the ISV needs to recode and re-release the solution. On top of that, new customers come along that don’t use Salesforce but instead are looking for MS Dynamics support.

Re-releasing software simply to add data sources and support API revisions is a costly process that delivers little immediate customer value. However, by using Hybrid Data Pipeline, the ISV can embed a single driver to begin with and no longer worry about API changes or re-releasing to support new data sources.

When it comes to explaining the value of Hybrid Data Pipeline, I like to describe it as a universal remote control. Take your souped-up entertainment center. You have so many devices on hand that you’re drowning in remote controls, so you make the investment in a universal remote with which you can control everything. From that point on, you’re covered; no matter what new gadgets you may add in the future.

Similarly, no matter what new data source components are added to your platform environment, Hybrid Data Pipeline has you covered. As a universal driver, Hybrid Data Pipeline adapts to any source. Legal validation is needed only once; the driver is shipped one time with the corresponding platform, and then no matter what additional data sources you may add along the way, access is right there waiting for you. No matter how your data demands evolve, it just works. Simple, right? If only everything in a PM’s day was so easy!