This is a summary from a Snowflake webinar that was presented live on October 24, 2023.
Eutelsat OneWeb provides broadband satellite connectivity services in low Earth orbit for enterprise, governments, and communities everywhere. With satellites orbiting 24/7, we're constantly generating vast amounts of data. With Snowflake and Hex we solve significant data challenges, including data scalability, data sharing & collaboration, data security, processing efficiency, and data exploration.
The Heart of our Operation: Data and Connectivity
Our growing range of terminals, which includes compact, foldable models that resemble laptops, and customer network exchanges, comparable to wireless apps, are the backbone of our data generation process. These devices work tirelessly, producing an astounding 70 billion rows of data daily, all of which we collect in real-time from space. The data travels from space to our customers in a mere 30 minutes, thanks to our advanced technology.
The Power of Snowflake and Hex: Ensuring Safe and Seamless Operations
The sheer scale of our operation demands robust, scalable, and secure solutions. Enter Snowflake and Hex, our trusted partners in this endeavor. Snowflake became our centralized data warehouse for handling this immense volume of information. Starting our journey in February 2021, we embarked on a mission to create 33 governance domains (Snowflake accounts) forming a data mesh. This intricate web allows seamless data sharing across various accounts, ensuring that our data remains easily accessible, yet securely compartmentalized.
Security was paramount from the outset. Dealing with sensitive information from government and military institutions necessitates foolproof measures. By using Snowpark with Hex, our data never leaves our secure Snowflake environment– the data is processed where it is stored in Snowflake, eliminating the need to export data out to train models while reducing security vector exposure. This approach ensures faster and more secure processing as we avoid unnecessary data exports, external model training, and reloading. Everything occurs within a controlled environment governed by our engineers at Snowflake and Hex. We enforce strict rules for accessing different datasets, and our users' activities are closely monitored, allowing us to trace and manage data access effectively.
Moving Notebook Workflows to the Cloud
Initially, we used Jupyter notebooks, but found them insufficient. Engineers worked in isolation on their laptops, hindering collaboration. So we started using Hex, a modern notebook tool that perfectly aligns with our desire for open collaboration and cooperation between disparate teams. Engineers can seamlessly create projects using SQL and Python, connecting securely to Snowflake through Snowpark. This collaborative platform facilitates the sharing of ideas, which enhances our overall productivity.
Looking Ahead: Continuous Innovation with Snowflake Container Service
Our partnership with Snowflake and Hex has propelled Eutelsat Group into a new era of data sophistication. Snowflake's data lake capabilities and scalability address the issue of handling vast amounts of data. Hex provides collaborative tools that enable engineers to work on data projects collaboratively. The integration of Snowpark allows for secure, in-place data processing without exporting sensitive information, enhancing both efficiency and security.
Our journey doesn’t end here. We are continually exploring new avenues to make our data more valuable and impactful. Currently, we are in the process of integrating Hex and Snowpark within our network using the Snowpark Container Service. This innovation adds an extra layer of security, reinforcing our commitment to data protection and confidentiality.
We are excited about the future possibilities and the uncharted territories we will explore.