Cloud providers like AWS are introducing AI-powered cost transparency tools, while ETL vendors remain silent, continuing to profit from opaque, row-based pricing models that penalise efficiency and scale. By switching to performance-based pricing and auditing pipeline usage, data teams can cut ETL costs by up to 50% without sacrificing performance.
Read the articleRow-based ETL pricing models conceal hidden costs such as duplicate processing, unchanged record syncing, and development retries, leading to inflated bills that often do not reflect actual data value. Shifting to performance-based pricing aligns costs with real infrastructure usage, enabling predictable budgeting, greater efficiency, and funding for innovation.
Read the articleAstronomer’s PR mishap responding to a kiss cam controversy by hiring a celebrity, spotlights a deeper issue in vendor culture: misplaced priorities and poor judgment under pressure. For data leaders, it raises critical concerns about whether vendors invest in engineering excellence or opt for brand theatrics when things go wrong.
Read the articleThe real value of Big Data LDN 2025 lies not in vendor pitches or keynote sessions, but in candid corridor conversations among data leaders grappling with vendor fatigue, renewal pressure, and cost consolidation. As budgets tighten and complexity rises, the smartest teams are shifting from reactive tool dependency to proactive strategies that prioritise flexibility, performance-based pricing, and long-term efficiency.
Read the articleMany data teams waste budget by misusing senior engineering talent on firefighting tasks and poor tool choices, rather than focusing on high-value, strategic work. High-performing teams prioritise experienced hires, measure business impact, reduce reactive work, and use AI and tools strategically to maximise ROI and team effectiveness.
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