ECS’ Chitra Raghu: Decentralized ‘Microservice’ Apps Help Modernize Data Mgmt

Chitra Raghu, director for federal health and safety at ECS, has said that agencies must analyze data collection and storage methods before implementing data management capabilities such as external data lakes and microservice apps.

Raghu wrote in a blog post published Monday that using a “data warehouse” approach and storing all data in one place overwhelms agency budgets and may lead to operations and maintenance risks.

According to Raghu, apps designed for microservice functions can mitigate reliance on stovepiped architectures and simplify the management of data at an enterprise level. 

Microservices can also serve as a self-contained source of data and support efforts to automate agency operations through artificial intelligence and machine learning, she noted.

“Agencies must follow a multilayered approach, drawing on both tools and experienced resources,” said Raghu. “Data scientists, automation engineers, and developers focused on customer experience must work closely with owners and stakeholders to implement a comprehensive, end-to-end data strategy that focuses first on the mission at hand. Relying on new tools without the necessary expertise only results in increased costs.”