Deciding whether to build or buy a data platform

The question of whether to build or buy applies to many different purchasing decisions that an organization needs to make. Some of these decisions are pretty obvious – for example, not many organizations will choose to build their own power plant and generate their own power, rather than just purchasing power from their local utility company.

Within the IT realm, there is likely to be a mix of building and buying, depending on the size of the organization. For example, most organizations that need systems for HR, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) will purchase these from one of the many vendors that have built these products for many years. However, many organizations will choose to build and manage their own website and mobile app, including the microservices that power those systems.

Organizations also have a choice when it comes to their approach to implementing a modern...