Introduction:

In the ever-evolving landscape of data integration and security compliance, organizations often encounter challenges in balancing data accessibility and safeguarding sensitive resources. In this blog post, we delve into a real-world scenario where an existing data pipeline faced security compliance concerns when an external vendor needed access to shared resources within the premise. We'll explore a strategic solution that not only addresses these concerns but also leverages cloud integration for enhanced flexibility.

Problem Description:

The current data pipeline is configured to read data from a Groundplex and write it to a shared location within the premises. However, a significant hurdle arises as the data stored in the shared location requires processing by an external vendor. The security compliance team rightfully raises concerns about granting the external vendor direct access to critical resources within the premise.

Suggested Approach:

To navigate the security compliance challenges and strike a balance between data accessibility and resource protection, a suggested approach emerges. The proposal revolves around enabling the external vendor to access the outcome of the pipeline from a location outside of the premise, potentially on the cloud. This approach not only aligns with security compliance requirements but also opens up new possibilities for cloud-based data processing.

Solution: Retaining Structure, Enhancing Security:

The core of the proposed solution lies in retaining the existing pipeline structure while introducing a targeted modification to address security concerns. The focus is on updating the snap responsible for writing output to the shared location within the premise.

Enter the Pipeline Execute (PE) snap – a key component in the solution. The PE snap acts as a gateway, facilitating the interaction between the existing pipeline and a newly introduced child pipeline. This child pipeline is strategically crafted, incorporating a snap with the requisite access to the shared location via the CloudPlex. The CloudPlex can ensure access through protocols such as SFTP or DB snaps to cloud based products/components.

Implementation in Detail:

Retaining Pipeline Structure: The existing pipeline remains intact, ensuring continuity in data flow and processing logic.
Introducing Pipeline Execute (PE) Snap: The writer snap responsible for writing output to the shared location is updated to include a PE snap. This snap becomes the bridge connecting the in-premise and cloud-based components.
Triggering a Child Pipeline on CloudPlex: The PE snap triggers the execution of a carefully designed child pipeline that executes on CloudPlex. This child pipeline incorporates the necessary writer snap configured with secure access to the shared location, ensuring seamless integration.
Cloud Integration (SFTP/DB): The writer snap within the child pipeline utilizes protocols like SFTP or DB snap connections to interact with the endpoint accessible on cloud.

Benefits of the Approach:

Security Compliance: By enabling the external vendor to access data outcomes on the cloud, security compliance concerns are effectively addressed. Direct access to in-premise resources is mitigated.
Flexibility and Scalability: The cloud-based integration opens up opportunities for enhanced flexibility and scalability. Data processing can now leverage cloud resources efficiently.
Minimal Network-Level Changes: Crucially, this adjustment is achieved without necessitating extensive changes at the network level. The existing infrastructure remains intact, minimizing disruptions.

Conclusion: A Seamless Transition to Cloud Integration:

In conclusion, the proposed approach represents a strategic and secure solution to the challenges posed by security compliance in data pipelines. By introducing CloudPlex and utilizing the power of Pipeline Execute (PE) snaps, organizations can strike a balance between data accessibility and resource protection. This seamless transition not only addresses immediate concerns but also positions the data pipeline for future scalability and innovation in the cloud era. Embracing such solutions ensures that organizations can adapt to evolving security landscapes while leveraging the benefits of cloud integration.