Data platforms are crucial as they help unify disparate data across multiple locations, which is increasingly important given that 87% of organizations expect their applications to be distributed across more locations in the next two years. These platforms enable organizations to manage the explosive growth of enterprise data while balancing security, cost, and performance.

Traditional siloed storage solutions are inadequate due to the complexity of modern data estates. Organizations often find themselves with data stored in various silos—such as mainframe, block storage, and public cloud—which leads to increased costs and reduced flexibility. As digital transformation accelerates, the need for a more integrated approach becomes clear.

The rise of AI is reshaping data management by necessitating simpler and more efficient data handling. As generative AI continues to grow, organizations need to rethink how they manage their data to ensure applications can effectively consume it. This has led to a push for software-defined, virtualized data platforms that can streamline data governance and security.