What has always fascinated me about Moore’s law is that for more than half a century, the technological computing innovations we take for granted—from the PC to smart watches to self-driving cars—hinged on solving one small, specific problem: the distance between transistors on a chip. As our software-powered world becomes more and more data-driven, unlocking and unblocking the coming decades of innovation hinges on data: how we collect it, exchange it, consolidate it, and use it.
In a way, the speed, ease, and accuracy of data exchange has become the new Moore’s law.
TL;DR: Safely and efficiently importing a myriad of data file types from thousands or even millions of different unmanaged external sources is a pervasive, growing problem. Most organizations struggle with file import because traditional ETL (extract, transform, and load) and iPaaS (integration platform-as-a-service) solutions are designed to transfer data only between tightly managed IT systems and databases.