The Strangler Fig Design Pattern - Migration and Replacement of Legacy IT Applications with Data Streaming using Apache Kafka
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Replacing Legacy Systems, One Step at a Time with Data Streaming: The Strangler Fig Approach

Modernizing legacy systems doesn’t have to mean a risky big-bang rewrite. This blog explores how the Strangler Fig Pattern, when combined with data streaming, enables gradual, low-risk transformation—unlocking real-time capabilities, reducing complexity, and supporting scalable, cloud-native architectures. Discover how leading organizations are using this approach to migrate at their own pace, stay compliant, and enable new business models. Plus, why Reverse ETL falls short and streaming is the future of IT modernization.
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Replacing OT Middleware with Data Streaming using Kafka and Flink for Cloud-Native Industrial IoT with MQTT and OPC-UA
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Modernizing OT Middleware: The Shift to Open Industrial IoT Architectures with Data Streaming

Legacy OT middleware is struggling to keep up with real-time, scalable, and cloud-native demands. As industries shift toward event-driven architectures, companies are replacing vendor-locked, polling-based systems with Apache Kafka, MQTT, and OPC-UA for seamless OT-IT integration. Kafka serves as the central event backbone, MQTT enables lightweight device communication, and OPC-UA ensures secure industrial data exchange. This approach enhances real-time processing, predictive analytics, and AI-driven automation, reducing costs and unlocking scalable, future-proof architectures.
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Learnings from the CIO Summit: AI + Data Streaming = Key for Success
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CIO Summit: The State of AI and Why Data Streaming is Key for Success

The CIO Summit in Amsterdam provided a valuable perspective on the state of AI adoption across industries. While enthusiasm for AI remains high, organizations are grappling with the challenge of turning potential into tangible business outcomes. Key discussions centered on distinguishing hype from real value, the importance of high-quality and real-time data, and the role of automation in preparing businesses for AI integration. A recurring theme was that AI is not a standalone solution—it must be supported by a strong data foundation, clear ROI objectives, and a strategic approach. As AI continues to evolve toward more autonomous, agentic systems, data streaming will play a critical role in ensuring AI models remain relevant, context-aware, and actionable in real time.
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How Data Streaming and AI Help Telcos - Top 5 Trends from MWC 2025
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How Data Streaming and AI Help Telcos to Innovate: Top 5 Trends from MWC 2025

As the telecom and tech industries rapidly evolve, real-time data streaming is emerging as the backbone of digital transformation. For MWC 2025, McKinsey outlined five key trends defining the future: IT excellence, sustainability, 6G, generative AI, and AI-driven software development. This blog explores how data streaming powers each of these trends, enabling real-time observability, AI-driven automation, energy efficiency, ultra-low latency networks, and faster software innovation. From Dish Wireless’ cloud-native 5G network to Verizon’s edge AI deployments, leading companies are leveraging event-driven architectures to gain a competitive advantage. Whether you’re tackling network automation, sustainability challenges, or AI monetization, data streaming is the strategic enabler for 2025 and beyond. Read on to explore the latest use cases, industry insights, and how to future-proof your telecom strategy.
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Data Streaming with Apache Kafka and Flink as the Backbone for a B2B Data Marketplace
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Data Streaming as the Technical Foundation for a B2B Marketplace

A B2B data marketplace empowers businesses to exchange, monetize, and leverage real-time data through self-service platforms featuring subscription management, usage-based billing, and secure data sharing. Built on data streaming technologies like Apache Kafka and Flink, these marketplaces deliver scalable, event-driven architectures for seamless integration, real-time processing, and compliance. By exploring successful implementations like AppDirect, this post highlights how organizations can unlock new revenue streams and foster innovation with modern data marketplace solutions.
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Free Ebook: Data Streaming Use Cases and Industry Success Stories Featuring Apache Kafka and Flink

Real-time data is no longer optional—it’s essential. Businesses across industries use data streaming to power insights, optimize operations, and drive innovation. After 7+ years at Confluent, I’ve seen firsthand how Apache Kafka and Flink transform organizations. That’s why I wrote The Ultimate Data Streaming Guide: Concepts, Use Cases, Industry Stories—a free eBook packed with insights, real-world examples, and best practices. Download your free copy now and start your data streaming journey!
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SaaS vs PaaS Cloud Service for Data Streaming with Apache Kafka and Flink
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Fully Managed (SaaS) vs. Partially Managed (PaaS) Cloud Services for Data Streaming with Kafka and Flink

The cloud revolution has reshaped how businesses deploy and manage data streaming with solutions like Apache Kafka and Flink. Distinctions between SaaS and PaaS models significantly impact scalability, cost, and operational complexity. Bring Your Own Cloud (BYOC) expands the options, giving businesses greater flexibility in cloud deployment. Misconceptions around terms like “serverless” highlight the need for deeper analysis to avoid marketing pitfalls. This blog explores deployment options, enabling informed decisions tailored to your data streaming needs.
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Lakehouse and Data Streaming - Competitor or Complementary
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How Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse Complements Data Streaming (Apache Kafka, Flink, et al.)

In today’s data-driven world, understanding data at rest versus data in motion is crucial for businesses. Data streaming frameworks like Apache Kafka and Apache Flink enable real-time data processing. Meanwhile, lakehouses like Snowflake, Databricks, and Microsoft Fabric excel in long-term data storage and detailed analysis, perfect for reports and AI training. This blog post explores how these technologies complement each other in enterprise architecture.
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Apache Kafka Deployment Options - Serverless vs Self-Managed vs BYOC Bring Your Own Cloud
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Deployment Options for Apache Kafka: Self-Managed, Fully-Managed / Serverless and BYOC (Bring Your Own Cloud)

BYOC (Bring Your Own Cloud) is an emerging deployment model for organizations looking to maintain greater control over their cloud environments. Unlike traditional SaaS models, BYOC allows businesses to host applications within their own VPCs to provide enhanced data privacy, security, and compliance. This approach leverages existing cloud infrastructure. It offers more flexibility for custom configurations, particularly for companies with stringent security needs. In the data streaming sector around Apache Kafka, BYOC is changing how platforms are deployed. Organizations get more control and adaptability for various use cases. But it is clearly NOT the right choice for everyone!
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Unified Commerce with Data Streaming using Apache Kafka and Flink at the Edge and in the Cloud
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Unified Commerce in Retail and eCommerce with Apache Kafka and Flink for Real-Time Customer 360

Delivering a seamless and personalized customer experience across all touchpoints is essential for staying competitive in today’s rapidly evolving retail and eCommerce landscape. Unified commerce integrates all sales channels and backend systems into a single platform to ensure real-time consistency in customer interactions, inventory management, and order fulfillment. This blog post explores how Apache Kafka and Flink can be pivotal in achieving real-time Customer 360 in the unified commerce ecosystem and how it differs from traditional omnichannel approaches.
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