Computer science loves abstraction, and now, as it turns out, so does data management. Abstraction means reducing something complex to something simpler that elegantly delivers its essence. Applications all over the world become more robust and easier to maintain and evolve when a simple interface is put in front of a complex service. The consumer of the service is able to say: This is a lot simpler than allowing the consumer to reach directly under the hood and mess with the engine.

The new normal has changed the way we work and the way we conduct business. More and more employees are working from home, customers are shopping online, and everyone’s phone is still attached to their ears. Bottom line: everything we’re doing in business and in our personal lives is leaving a digital trail. In fact, now devices are getting in the game and creating more data than people, 277 times more, according to Cisco.