October 2023 Summaries

CData Software is a leading provider of data access and connectivity solutions that streamlines data access and insulates customers from complex integrations with various databases, SaaS, APIs, NoSQL, and Big Data. The company offers a range of products including data connectors, ETL/ELT solutions, cloud and API connectivity, OEM and custom drivers, and data visualization tools. CData Software aims to address the major data management challenges facing organizations today by providing standards-based connectors that simplify data integration and provide a secure connection to various data sources.

The latest release of CData Sync includes several new features designed to simplify data integration and management for businesses and non-technical users alike. A newly launched Rest API Connector enables seamless integrations without requiring coding expertise, while continuous replication provides near real-time access to data, even for those without technical backgrounds. Additionally, the integration with Databricks Unity Catalog offers a unified governance solution for data and AI on lakehouses, empowering businesses to fully leverage their data assets. These updates are significant as they address the growing demand for tools that simplify data integration and management while ensuring timely access to up-to-date information.

CData has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to protecting customers' valuable data. The certification was obtained through a rigorous audit and assessment by LBMC, an independent vendor for System and Organization Controls (SOC) Certification. This achievement underscores CData's dedication to maintaining adequate security controls, including confidentiality, availability, processing integrity, and security. By obtaining SOC 2 compliance, organizations can deploy CData's market-leading data connectivity solutions with confidence that each product meets industry-standard security and risk management criteria.

CData Virtuality has implemented multiple layers of security to protect its clients' data, including SSL/TLS and HTTPS protocols for secure data transmission, audit information and usage statistics to monitor access patterns, and various certifications such as ISO27001, SOC 2 Type 2, and HIPAA compliance. The company's Authorization Management Component provides robust authentication and authorization mechanisms, including OpenID connect, Kerberos, LDAP, and two-factor authentication, while its user and permission management system offers granular control over access to data. Additionally, CData Virtuality employs version control features like Git integration and comprehensive metadata versioning to ensure data integrity and track changes. The company continues to enhance its security measures with ongoing development of new features, such as AES encryption and Single Sign-On.

CData Connect Cloud is a strategic initiative that promotes data culture by providing tools, training, and access to data, enabling organizations to prioritize data-driven decision-making and empower employees to use data to track goals and KPIs. The product roadmap includes features such as improved user experience, data sharing, and client tool integration, which are closely related to emerging technologies like Data Fabric 2.0. CData has recently released several notable updates, including API Connector, Datasets, AI Text-to-SQL, Excel write-back capabilities, and certifications with IBM Cognos and Microsoft Power BI. The roadmap for the coming months includes large features such as caching, Open API support, and a new version of CData Connect Server that will make it easier for customers to run Connect Server on their own infrastructure.

OAuth 2.0 is an authorization protocol that simplifies access to data on web servers, allowing client applications to access resources more securely by separating roles and responsibilities between entities involved in the authorization flow. It reduces the risk of password theft and unauthorized access by not requiring users to share their credentials, providing greater access control and enhancing privacy and data protection. OAuth 2.0 has multiple grant types, including Authorization Code Grant, Implicit Grant, Client Credentials Grant, and Password Grant, each designed for specific scenarios. CData supports OAuth with various features such as retrieving OAuth tokens, facilitating the OAuth flow in desktop and web applications, and providing headless OAuth processes for OEM customers. The protocol provides enhanced security, allows users to grant limited access to protected resources without sharing usernames and passwords, and requires client registration for applications seeking access to protected resources. Understanding technical terms is crucial for navigating the OAuth authentication process effectively.

The key takeaway from Workday Rising 2023 is that responsible use of AI is critical, as it must be built on top of reliable data and used to enhance the human experience, rather than replace humans. The event also highlighted the importance of trusted partners in helping customers make the most of their technology investment and leveraging the full potential of Workday's solutions.

The latest Q3 2023 update to CData Connect Cloud introduces a universal API Connector that enables customers to easily consume data from all types of APIs and services, making it instantly available for analytics, reporting, and data management. The new connector allows users to connect and blend data across internal and external systems and applications without requiring IT or development teams to build one-off integrations. This feature gives customers the ability to connect to custom APIs just like pre-built connections, using a code-free point-and-click process, and leverage the full power of the cloud data virtualization platform to query live API data. The new connector offers tremendous flexibility to CData Connect Cloud, enabling users to enable reporting on live data from SaaS applications, blend data across public APIs, and integrate internal APIs with data warehousing or data consolidation processes.

CData Virtuality SaaS has been launched on the Azure cloud, expanding its reach beyond AWS and enabling organizations to enjoy a streamlined SaaS experience for their data environments. The platform provides instant software setup, simplified licensing, and easy-to-use browser applications, allowing users to share, model, and build valuable data products. With CData Virtuality SaaS on Azure, organizations can benefit from optimal server sizing, automated scaling, proactive support, and prioritized data security adhering to ISO27001, SOC2 Type 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and SWIFT standards. The platform also enhances Azure's ecosystem by providing seamless integration with Microsoft products like Power BI, Sharepoint, SQL Server, and Dynamics 365. CData Virtuality is trusted by global businesses such as PGGM, Renew Financial, Areeba, Crédit Agricole, who use its platform to lower data integration costs, boost productivity, and accelerate time-to-market.