Zero copy integration allows you to access data stored in multiple databases simultaneously without having to move, copy, or reformat anything. This innovation offers businesses a faster, more efficient way to manage and utilize data while reducing costs and minimizing errors associated with traditional data movement processes.

The Power of Zero Copy Integration

Zero copy (also known as zero ETL, which stands for extract-transform-load) enables data sharing between two or more data stores without physically moving it. This is especially beneficial for companies that store large amounts of data in cloud data warehouses like Snowflake or Google BigQuery. These businesses may be hesitant to adopt a customer data platform (CDP) due to concerns about duplicating data, but zero copy integration eliminates that issue.

With zero copy, users can enjoy the benefits of a CDP—such as data harmonization, identity management, built-in analytics, and activation—without the complications of physically moving data between systems.

What Is Zero Copy Integration?

Zero copy integration allows you to access data from multiple databases at the same time, without moving or copying it. This simplifies data management and reduces the risk of errors commonly associated with data replication.

Traditionally, data is copied from one database to another, often using the extract-transform-load (ETL) process, which can be useful but introduces challenges. Here are some differences between traditional methods and the zero copy approach:

How Zero Copy Works: From CDP to Data Warehouse

In one scenario, data may need to move from the CDP to the data warehouse. This is often referred to as data sharing, where data within the CDP is accessed by the warehouse without being moved.

Here’s how it works:

1. Identify the Data: Determine the data objects within the CDP that need to be shared, such as cleansed data, business-structured data, or calculated insights.
2. Link to the Data Warehouse: Using point-and-click tools, link the data to the target warehouse.
3. Query Data in Real-Time: Inside the data warehouse, users can run queries that pull data from both the warehouse and the linked data share simultaneously.

This process uses "virtual tables," which act as blueprints that describe where to find the data in the CDP without actually moving it. This ensures that changes in the CDP are automatically reflected in the data warehouse.

How Zero Copy Works: From Data Warehouse to CDP

In another scenario, data flows from the data warehouse to the CDP. This process is often called data federation, allowing businesses to access massive amounts of transactional data (like purchases) stored in the data warehouse, alongside customer data in the CDP.

Here’s how it works:

1. Mount Data from Warehouse: The CDP mounts tables from the data warehouse as external objects, creating virtual blueprints.
2. Perform CDP Functions: The CDP can then perform its regular functions—like identity management, analysis, and segmentation—using the mounted data.
3. Run Combined Queries: The CDP accesses both its internal data and data from the warehouse through federated queries.

This combination of customer and transactional data allows businesses to create richer, more accurate customer profiles and personalized marketing strategies.

Benefits of Zero Copy Integration

Companies like Buyers Edge, a procurement optimization company in the food service industry, have successfully adopted zero copy technology. They wanted to build unified customer profiles using their CDP while leveraging purchase data stored in their data warehouse.

With zero copy technology, they access purchase data in real-time without the need for data movement, allowing them to create better customer insights for sales and marketing teams. The result? Improved offers, messaging, and customer experiences—all without the complexities of traditional data integration methods.

Why Zero Copy Matters

As the amount of data created, captured, and consumed continues to grow, businesses need flexible data management strategies. Zero copy integration provides a way to streamline this process, reducing the costs, risks, and maintenance associated with traditional data movement. It also ensures that businesses can operate more efficiently, with real-time access to the data they need, exactly when they need it.

With the explosion of cloud-native data warehouses and the rise of platforms using zero copy technology, businesses are better positioned to handle the ever-increasing volumes of data while maintaining efficiency and accuracy.