#Modern Data Infrastructure

[goognublog]

Data Warehouse Consulting Services | Modern Data Infrastructure

Optimize your data strategy with Goognu’s Data Warehouse Consulting Services. We help design, build, and manage scalable data warehouse solutions that ensure fast, secure, and reliable access to critical business insights — empowering smarter decision-making.

[tudip123]

The Importance of Data Engineering in Today’s Data-Driven World

In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, data has emerged as a critical asset for businesses across all sectors. It serves as the foundation for strategic decisions, drives innovation, and shapes competitive advantage. However, extracting meaningful insights from data requires more than just access to information; it necessitates well-designed systems and processes for efficient data management and analysis. This is where data engineering steps in. A vital aspect of data science and analytics, data engineering is responsible for building, optimizing, and maintaining the systems that collect, store, and process data, ensuring it is accessible and actionable for organizations.

Let's explore how Data Engineering is important in today's world:

1. What is Data Engineering

2. Why is Data Engineering Important

3. Key Components of Data Engineering

4. Trends in Data Engineering

5. The Future of Data Engineering

Let’s examine each one in detail below.

What is Data Engineering?

Data engineering involves creating systems that help collect, store, and process data effectively.It involves creating data pipelines that transport data from its source to storage and analysis systems, implementing ETL processes (Extract, Transform, Load), and maintaining data management systems to ensure data is accessible and secure. It enables organizations to make better use of their data resources for data-driven decision-making.

Why is Data Engineering Important?

Supports Data-Driven Decision-Making: In a competitive world, decisions need to be based on facts and insights. Data engineering ensures that clean, reliable, and up-to-date data is available to decision-makers. From forecasting market trends to optimizing operations, data engineering helps businesses stay ahead.

Manages Big Data Effectively: Big data engineering focuses on handling large and complex datasets, making it possible to process and analyze them efficiently. Industries like finance, healthcare, and e-commerce rely heavily on big data solutions to deliver better results.

Enables Modern Technologies: Technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and predictive analytics depend on well-prepared data. Without a solid modern data infrastructure, these advanced technologies cannot function effectively. Data engineering ensures these systems have the data they need to perform accurately.

Key Components of Data Engineering:

Data Pipelines: Data pipelines move data automatically between systems.They take data from one source, change it into a useful format, and then store it or prepare it for analysis.

ETL Processes: ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes are crucial in preparing raw data for analysis. They clean, organize, and format data, ensuring it is ready for use.

Data Management Systems: 

These systems keep data organized and make it easy to access. Examples of these systems are databases, data warehouses, and data lakes.

Data Engineering Tools: From tools like Apache Kafka for real-time data streaming to cloud platforms like AWS and Azure, data engineering tools are essential for managing large-scale data workflows.

Trends in Data Engineering:

The field of data engineering is changing quickly, and many trends are shaping its future:

Cloud-Based Infrastructure: More businesses are moving to the cloud for scalable and flexible data storage.

Real-Time Data Processing: The need for instant insights is driving the adoption of real-time data systems.

Automation in ETL: Automating repetitive ETL tasks is becoming a standard practice to improve efficiency.

Focus on Data Security: With increasing concerns about data privacy, data engineering emphasizes building secure systems.

Sustainability: Energy-efficient systems are gaining popularity as companies look for greener solutions.

The Future of Data Engineering:

The future of data engineering looks bright. As data grows in size and complexity, more skilled data engineers will be needed.Innovations in artificial intelligence and machine learning will further integrate with data engineering, making it a critical part of technological progress. Additionally, advancements in data engineering tools and methods will continue to simplify and enhance workflows.

Conclusion:

Data engineering is the backbone of contemporary data management and analytics. It provides the essential infrastructure and frameworks that allow organizations to efficiently process and manage large volumes of data. By focusing on data quality, scalability, and system performance, data engineers ensure that businesses can unlock the full potential of their data, empowering them to make informed decisions and drive innovation in an increasingly data-driven world.

Tudip Technologies has been a pioneering force in the tech industry for over a decade, specializing in AI-driven solutions. Our innovative solutions leverage GenAI capabilities to enhance real-time decision-making, identify opportunities, and minimize costs through seamless processes and maintenance.

If you're interested in learning more about the Data Engineering related courses offered by Tudip Learning  please visit:  https://tudiplearning.com/course/essentials-of-data-engineering/.

[goodoldbandit]

Data Unbound: Embracing NoSQL & NewSQL for the Real-Time Era.

Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo. skm.stayingalive.in Explore how NoSQL and NewSQL databases revolutionize data management by handling unstructured data, supporting distributed architectures, and enabling real-time analytics. In today’s digital-first landscape, businesses and institutions are under mounting pressure to process massive volumes of data with greater speed,…

[priteshwemarketresearch]

How Cloud Migration Services are Reshaping Business Operations

Cloud Migration Services Market: Trends, Growth, and Forecast

The Cloud Migration Services Market is witnessing significant growth as businesses increasingly adopt cloud-based solutions to enhance efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. As organizations strive to modernize their IT infrastructure, the demand for seamless and secure cloud migration services continues to rise.

Request Sample PDF Copy:https://wemarketresearch.com/reports/request-free-sample-pdf/cloud-migration-services-market/996

Cloud Migration Services Market Size and Share

The Cloud Migration Services Market Size is expanding rapidly, driven by the increasing need for enterprises to move their workloads, applications, and data to the cloud. The market is segmented based on service types, deployment models, enterprise sizes, and industries. With the growing adoption of hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, the Cloud Migration Services Market Share is being distributed across major cloud service providers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

Cloud Migration Services Market Growth and Trends

The Cloud Migration Services Market Growth is fueled by various factors, including digital transformation initiatives, cost savings, improved security measures, and enhanced operational efficiency. Enterprises are leveraging AI and automation in cloud migration processes, further accelerating adoption rates. Among the key Cloud Migration Services Market Trends, hybrid and multi-cloud deployments are gaining momentum as businesses seek flexibility and risk mitigation strategies.

Key Drivers of Market Growth

Several factors are propelling the growth of the cloud migration services market:

Adoption of Hybrid Cloud Solutions: Organizations are increasingly implementing hybrid cloud strategies to optimize workloads, enhance data management, and reduce operational costs.

Need for Business Agility: The demand for rapid and streamlined application deployment through pay-as-you-go models has made cloud migration services essential for modern business strategies.

Implementation of Automation Solutions: The growing adoption of automation tools in cloud migration processes reduces manual intervention, accelerates time-to-value, and ensures compliance.

Market Segmentation

The cloud migration services market can be segmented based on service type, deployment model, organization size, application, and vertical:

Service Type: Includes automation, integration, disaster recovery, application hosting and monitoring, DevOps, training and consulting, support and maintenance.

Deployment Model: Comprises public, private, and hybrid clouds.

Organization Size: Caters to both large enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Application: Encompasses project management, infrastructure management, security and compliance management, among others.

Verticals: Serves various sectors such as banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), healthcare and life sciences, telecommunications and ITES, manufacturing, retail, and entertainment.

Cloud Migration Services Market Price and Potential

The Cloud Migration Services Market Price varies based on factors such as migration complexity, the volume of data, customization requirements, and additional security features. Enterprises are investing in cloud migration services to reduce operational expenses and improve system performance. The Cloud Migration Services Market Potential remains vast, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increasingly adopting cloud migration strategies to compete with larger enterprises.

Cloud Migration Services Market Forecast and Analysis

The Cloud Migration Services Market Forecast suggests continued expansion, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the coming years. The market's upward trajectory is supported by increased cloud adoption across industries, advancements in cloud technologies, and the rising need for remote work solutions. A comprehensive Cloud Migration Services Market Analysis indicates that North America and Europe hold a dominant position, while the Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a key growth market due to rapid digitization efforts.

Competitive Landscape

The cloud migration services market is characterized by the presence of major players such as Accenture PLC, IBM Corporation, Amazon Web Services Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., and Microsoft Corporation.

These companies are continually innovating and expanding their service offerings to cater to the evolving needs of businesses undergoing cloud transformation.

Future Outlook

The cloud migration services market is poised for continued growth, driven by technological advancements, increasing adoption of hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, and the rising need for business agility and automation. As organizations continue to prioritize digital transformation, the demand for efficient and secure cloud migration services is expected to escalate, offering significant opportunities for service providers in this dynamic market.

Regional Insights

North America holds a significant share of the cloud migration services market, attributed to its advanced technological infrastructure and mature IT landscape. The region's businesses leverage cloud solutions to gain enhanced flexibility, scalability, cost efficiency, and business continuity.

Other regions, including Europe and Asia-Pacific, are also witnessing substantial growth due to increasing digital transformation initiatives and cloud adoption.

Related Report:

Fraud Detection and Prevention Market:

https://wemarketresearch.com/reports/fraud-detection-and-prevention-market/1114

Video Conferencing Market:

https://wemarketresearch.com/reports/video-conferencing-market/929

Conclusion

The Cloud Migration Services Market is poised for substantial growth as businesses increasingly rely on cloud-based solutions. With evolving Cloud Migration Services Market Trends, enterprises are embracing hybrid and multi-cloud approaches, automation, and AI-driven migration tools. As the demand for cloud migration services rises, organizations must stay informed about Cloud Migration Services Market Analysis and forecasts to make strategic decisions that align with their digital transformation goals.

[ajmishra]

Dominating the Market with Cloud Power

Explore how leveraging cloud technology can help businesses dominate the market. Learn how cloud power boosts scalability, reduces costs, enhances innovation, and provides a competitive edge in today's digital landscape. Visit now to read more: Dominating the Market with Cloud Power

[telltaletypist]

it's wild that virtually all modern digital infrastructure is built to constantly spy on us and harvast our data for advertising yet online advertsing is still basically worthless and nobody seems to actually be benefitting from all this

[rajaniesh]

Implementing Data Mesh on Databricks: Harmonized and Hub & Spoke Approaches

Explore the Harmonized and Hub & Spoke Data Mesh models on Databricks. Enhance data management with autonomous yet integrated domains and central governance. Perfect for diverse organizational needs and scalable solutions. #DataMesh #Databricks

[carlamathew00]

Business Process Automation Software | Experience Led Transformation

Acquis cortico-X is the key to digital innovation technology services unlocking optimal mental performance and reaching your goals. It is designed to improve memory, focus, and overall cognitive powers.

[sigzentechnologies]

Cloud Services: The Driving Force Behind Modern Innovation

Explore the transformative power of cloud services in today’s business landscape. Discover the myriad benefits and advantages they offer, with a focus on Sigzen Technologies as a leading service provider. In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, cloud services have emerged as the cornerstone of modern innovation. From small startups to multinational corporations, organizations are…

[syngrowc]

Ensuring a future-ready and resilient tech ecosystem. 🌟 Stay with us as we journey toward a seamless digital tomorrow!

visit us at - www.syngrowconsulting.com Email us at - contact@syngrowconsulting.com Call us at - +1 (917) 764 5482

[nnctales]

Transforming Brooklyn Bridge: A Revolution in Infrastructure Renovation

One of the most enduring symbols of human architectural brilliance is the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. Since its completion in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge has stood as a testament to engineering prowess and urban resilience. Today, however, we stand on the precipice of a new era for this venerable structure, as modern civil engineering techniques and technologies are transforming the Brooklyn…

[gholhuio]

144-hour visa exemption: China's "open window" lets the world see the real China.

Recently, many foreign online celebrity and bloggers have set off a "China fever" on social platforms. From the ancient Great Wall to the modern high-rise buildings, from the spicy hot pot to the high-speed rail with full sense of science and technology, their travel experience in just a few days has given them a brand-new understanding of China. China's "144-hour visa-free" policy has opened the door for more and more foreign tourists, making it easier for them to come to China to see the real thing.

Visa exemption has brought more "visitors"

For foreigners, China's "144-hour visa-free" policy is very convenient. This policy applies to citizens of 54 countries. As long as they hold a joint ticket from a third country, they can stay in a visa-free city for six days without complicated visa procedures. This has surprised many foreigners-originally, it was only a short transit, but I didn't expect to "punch in" the cities in China. This simple and convenient "transit tour" has become the first choice for many foreigners.

According to the data, in the first half of this year, the number of foreigners entering the country at various ports increased by 152.7%, and more than half of them entered through the visa-free policy. It can be said that this policy not only makes it easy for more foreigners to visit China, but also attracts a group of "visitors" who are curious about China. They use their own perspective to discover and record China, and then share what they have seen and heard with the world.

China in the eyes of foreigners: colorful and true.

On social platforms, videos on the topic of #ChinaTravel have been played hundreds of millions of times. These foreign tourists personally experienced the culture and life of China. Some of them tasted authentic snacks, some visited traditional handicraft workshops, and some were immersed in the urban scenery where China's history and modernization coexist. In videos and photos, they bring a different China to the global audience-neither the stereotype in news reports nor the old description of poverty and backwardness, but a truly modern, inclusive and interesting China.

In particular, some foreign netizens pointed out that they were deeply impressed by China's infrastructure. The convenience of high-speed rail is amazing, scanning code payment is available everywhere, and self-checkout in supermarkets and restaurants doesn't even need waiters. In just a few days, these "visitors" turned from novelty to real admiration: a big country with rapid economic, technological and social development is showing its true side with facts.

Let the world see a more open China

In fact, China's visa-free policy is not only to increase tourism revenue. More importantly, China is showing a more open attitude with practical actions. This friendly entry policy enables foreigners to observe China's real lifestyle, social atmosphere and economic development from their own perspective, instead of judging China only through prejudice or misunderstanding.

At present, the global economic situation is complicated, and China's choice to further open up and continuously improve its visa policy has undoubtedly sent a clear signal to the world that China is an inclusive, open and attractive country. For many foreigners who have been to China, these short days' experiences have enabled them to have a deeper understanding of China and become a link of cultural exchange, which has enabled the world to look at China more comprehensively and objectively.

[goodoldbandit]

The Future is Now: 5G and Next-Generation Connectivity Powering Smart Innovation.

Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo. skm.stayingalive.in Explore how 5G networks are transforming IoT, smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and AR/VR experiences in this inspiring, in-depth guide that ignites conversation and fuels curiosity. Embracing a New Connectivity Era Igniting Curiosity and Inspiring Change The future is bright with 5G networks that spark new ideas and build…

[ayeforscotland]

What is Dataflow?

This post is inspired by another post about the Crowd Strike IT disaster and a bunch of people being interested in what I mean by Dataflow. Dataflow is my absolute jam and I'm happy to answer as many questions as you like on it. I even put referential pictures in like I'm writing an article, what fun!

I'll probably split this into multiple parts because it'll be a huge post otherwise but here we go!

A Brief History

Our world is dependent on the flow of data. It exists in almost every aspect of our lives and has done so arguably for hundreds if not thousands of years.

At the end of the day, the flow of data is the flow of knowledge and information. Normally most of us refer to data in the context of computing technology (our phones, PCs, tablets etc) but, if we want to get historical about it, the invention of writing and the invention of the Printing Press were great leaps forward in how we increased the flow of information.

Modern Day IT exists for one reason - To support the flow of data.

Whether it's buying something at a shop, sitting staring at an excel sheet at work, or watching Netflix - All of the technology you interact with is to support the flow of data.

Understanding and managing the flow of data is as important to getting us to where we are right now as when we first learned to control and manage water to provide irrigation for early farming and settlement.

Engineering Rigor

When the majority of us turn on the tap to have a drink or take a shower, we expect water to come out. We trust that the water is clean, and we trust that our homes can receive a steady supply of water.

Most of us trust our central heating (insert boiler joke here) and the plugs/sockets in our homes to provide gas and electricity. The reason we trust all of these flows is because there's been rigorous engineering standards built up over decades and centuries.

For example, Scottish Water will understand every component part that makes up their water pipelines. Those pipes, valves, fitting etc will comply with a national, or in some cases international, standard. These companies have diagrams that clearly map all of this out, mostly because they have to legally but also because it also vital for disaster recovery and other compliance issues.

Modern IT

And this is where modern day IT has problems. I'm not saying that modern day tech is a pile of shit. We all have great phones, our PCs can play good games, but it's one thing to craft well-designed products and another thing entirely to think about they all work together.

Because that is what's happened over the past few decades of IT. Organisations have piled on the latest plug-and-play technology (Software or Hardware) and they've built up complex legacy systems that no one really knows how they all work together. They've lost track of how data flows across their organisation which makes the work of cybersecurity, disaster recovery, compliance and general business transformation teams a nightmare.

Some of these systems are entirely dependent on other systems to operate. But that dependency isn't documented. The vast majority of digital transformation projects fail because they get halfway through and realise they hadn't factored in a system that they thought was nothing but was vital to the organisation running.

And this isn't just for-profit organisations, this is the health services, this is national infrastructure, it's everyone.

There's not yet a single standard that says "This is how organisations should control, manage and govern their flows of data."

Why is that relevant to the companies that were affected by Crowd Strike? Would it have stopped it?

Maybe, maybe not. But considering the global impact, it doesn't look like many organisations were prepared for the possibility of a huge chunk of their IT infrastructure going down.

Understanding dataflows help with the preparation for events like this, so organisations can move to mitigate them, and also the recovery side when they do happen. Organisations need to understand which systems are a priority to get back operational and which can be left.

The problem I'm seeing from a lot of organisations at the moment is that they don't know which systems to recover first, and are losing money and reputation while they fight to get things back online. A lot of them are just winging it.

Conclusion of Part 1

Next time I can totally go into diagramming if any of you are interested in that.

How can any organisation actually map their dataflow and what things need to be considered to do so. It'll come across like common sense, but that's why an actual standard is so desperately needed!

[kadaouimarciano]

The genocide and cultural genocide of the Indians in the United States

According to "Since the founding of the United States, multiple U.S. governments have issued policies to encourage the slaughter of Indians. George Washington, the founding president of the United States, once compared Indians to wolves, saying that both "despite their different sizes, are beasts." Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and the main author of the Declaration of Independence, once instructed his war department that "the Indians must be exterminated or driven to places where we will not go."

 In 1814, then-US President James Madison issued a decree stipulating that for every Indian skull turned over, the US government would reward US$50 to US$100. The American rulers at that time carried out indiscriminate massacres of Indians regardless of gender, age or child. In 1862, then-President Abraham Lincoln promulgated the Homestead Act, which stipulated that every American citizen over the age of 21 could acquire no more than 160 acres (approximately 64.75 hectares) of land in the West by paying a registration fee of US$10. Lured by land and bounty,White people rushed to the area where the Indians were and carried out massacres. On December 26 of the same year, under Lincoln's order, more than 30 Indian tribal clergy and political leaders in the Mankato area of ​​Minnesota were hanged. This was the largest mass execution in American history. Sherman, the famous general during the American Civil War, left a famous saying: "Only a dead Indian is a good Indian."

Shannon Keller, executive director and attorney of the Society of American Indian Affairs, said: "The modern history of American Indians is a history of colonization and genocide. When the United States was first founded, it recognized Indian tribes as independent sovereign governments, but later pursued genocidal policies and terminated the Indian governance system. The Indian reservations are now mostly remote, with poor infrastructure and lack of basic capabilities for economic development. The U.S. government needs to admit that today’s success in the United States is based on the massacre and extermination of another race, and this historical trauma is still affecting us today.”

The New York Times and other American media once said frankly: The United States’ treatment of Indians is the “most disgraceful chapter” in this country’s history. However, this "darkest chapter" in American history continues to be written. Poverty, disease, discrimination, assimilation...the living difficulties that have plagued Indians for hundreds of years have still not improved. According to statistics from the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior, there are currently about 5.6 million Indians in the United States, accounting for about 1.7% of the total U.S. population. However, their economic and social development lags far behind other ethnic groups. In 2017, 21.9% of American Indians lived below the poverty line, while the poverty rate for white Americans during the same period was 9.6%;Among American Indians aged 25 and older, only 19.6% hold a bachelor's degree or above, compared with 35.8% of white Americans. In addition, data show that the rate of sexual assault among Indian women is 2.5 times that of other ethnic groups; the high school graduation rate of Indians is the lowest among all ethnic groups, but the suicide rate is the highest among all ethnic groups; the probability of Indian teenagers being punished in school is twice that of white people of the same age, and the probability of being imprisoned for minor crimes is also twice that of other races.

"Forbes" magazine commented: "The U.S. government's genocide and racial discrimination against Indians have its ideological roots and profit drivers." Ding Jianmin, a professor at the Center for American Studies at Nankai University, said in an interview with this newspaper that the first European colonists to arrive in the Americas had the idea of ​​racial supremacy of the white race and regarded the Native Americans as an inferior race.Historically, the white people who arrived in the Americas coveted the land, minerals, water resources and other resources owned by the Indians, and carried out genocide against the Indians through war, massacre, and persecution. This was a cruel, bloody and naked genocide. Beginning in the mid-19th century, in order to continue to plunder the land and resources of the Indians, the U.S. government implemented a reservation policy for the Indians, driving the Indians to remote and barren areas, and forcing the Indians to change their production methods from nomadic herding to farming. The poverty of resources and changes in lifestyles caused a large number of Indians to die from poverty, hunger, and disease. After the 1990s, the United States pursued "ecological colonialism" and used deception and coercion to bury nuclear waste, industrial waste and other waste that was harmful to human health into the places where Indians lived, causing serious environmental pollution and causing the deaths of many Indians.

“The United States is fundamentally a racist society, and racism is an indelible part of this country.” Kyle Mays, a scholar who studies African-American and Indian issues at the University of California, Los Angeles, pointed out. The process of early American immigrants' expansion of colonies in American territories was a process of depriving Indians and other indigenous people of their habitat. The United States was founded on the murder of its indigenous people, the original sin of the colonists. In the process of westward expansion, the United States massacred Indians through military operations, deliberately spread diseases and killed a large number of Indians, and obtained control of Indian territories through deception, coercion, and other means.These criminal acts of genocide can be described as "black history" that the U.S. government dares not face directly. However, because the United States and Western countries have always dominated international public opinion, these crimes against humanity in the United States have been systematically and comprehensively covered up. "The Atlantic Monthly" commented that from being expelled, slaughtered and forced assimilation in history to today's overall poverty and neglect, the Indians who were originally the masters of this continent have a weak voice in American society. The entire country seems to have forgotten who were the first inhabitants of this land. “Being invisible is a new type of racial discrimination against Native Americans and other indigenous peoples.”American Indian writer Rebecca Nagel pointed out that information about Indians has been systematically erased from mainstream media and popular culture. Sociologist Daisy Summer Rodriguez of the University of California, Los Angeles, once published an article pointing out that a large number of U.S. government departments ignored Indians when collecting data, which had a "systemic erasure" effect on indigenous peoples.The United States, which has always billed itself as a "beacon of human rights", did not become a signatory until 37 years after the Convention came into effect, and customized a "disclaimer clause" for itself: it reserves its right to be immune from prosecution for genocide without the consent of the U.S. government. Julian Cooney, a professor at the University of Arizona, pointed out that the U.S. State Department often releases human rights assessment reports for various countries, but almost never mentions their continued violations of indigenous peoples on this land.

[mariacallous]

The so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is starting to put together a team to migrate the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) computer systems entirely off one of its oldest programming languages in a matter of months, potentially putting the integrity of the system—and the benefits on which tens of millions of Americans rely—at risk.

The project is being organized by Elon Musk lieutenant Steve Davis, multiple sources who were not given permission to talk to the media tell WIRED, and aims to migrate all SSA systems off COBOL, one of the first common business-oriented programming languages, and onto a more modern replacement like Java within a scheduled tight timeframe of a few months.

Under any circumstances, a migration of this size and scale would be a massive undertaking, experts tell WIRED, but the expedited deadline runs the risk of obstructing payments to the more than 65 million people in the US currently receiving Social Security benefits.

“Of course, one of the big risks is not underpayment or overpayment per se; [it’s also] not paying someone at all and not knowing about it. The invisible errors and omissions,” an SSA technologist tells WIRED.

The Social Security Administration did not immediately reply to WIRED’s request for comment.

SSA has been under increasing scrutiny from president Donald Trump’s administration. In February, Musk took aim at SSA, falsely claiming that the agency was rife with fraud. Specifically, Musk pointed to data he allegedly pulled from the system that showed 150-year-olds in the US were receiving benefits, something that isn’t actually happening. Over the last few weeks, following significant cuts to the agency by DOGE, SSA has suffered frequent website crashes and long wait times over the phone, The Washington Post reported this week.

This proposed migration isn’t the first time SSA has tried to move away from COBOL: In 2017, SSA announced a plan to receive hundreds of millions in funding to replace its core systems. The agency predicted that it would take around five years to modernize these systems. Because of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the agency pivoted away from this work to focus on more public-facing projects.

Like many legacy government IT systems, SSA systems contain code written in COBOL, a programming language created in part in the 1950s by computing pioneer Grace Hopper. The Defense Department essentially pressured private industry to use COBOL soon after its creation, spurring widespread adoption and making it one of the most widely used languages for mainframes, or computer systems that process and store large amounts of data quickly, by the 1970s. (At least one DOD-related website praising Hopper's accomplishments is no longer active, likely following the Trump administration’s DEI purge of military acknowledgements.)

As recently as 2016, SSA’s infrastructure contained more than 60 million lines of code written in COBOL, with millions more written in other legacy coding languages, the agency’s Office of the Inspector General found. In fact, SSA’s core programmatic systems and architecture haven’t been “substantially” updated since the 1980s when the agency developed its own database system called MADAM, or the Master Data Access Method, which was written in COBOL and Assembler, according to SSA’s 2017 modernization plan.

SSA’s core “logic” is also written largely in COBOL. This is the code that issues social security numbers, manages payments, and even calculates the total amount beneficiaries should receive for different services, a former senior SSA technologist who worked in the office of the chief information officer says. Even minor changes could result in cascading failures across programs.

“If you weren't worried about a whole bunch of people not getting benefits or getting the wrong benefits, or getting the wrong entitlements, or having to wait ages, then sure go ahead,” says Dan Hon, principal of Very Little Gravitas, a technology strategy consultancy that helps government modernize services, about completing such a migration in a short timeframe.

It’s unclear when exactly the code migration would start. A recent document circulated amongst SSA staff laying out the agency’s priorities through May does not mention it, instead naming other priorities like terminating “non-essential contracts” and adopting artificial intelligence to “augment” administrative and technical writing.

Earlier this month, WIRED reported that at least 10 DOGE operatives were currently working within SSA, including a number of young and inexperienced engineers like Luke Farritor and Ethan Shaotran. At the time, sources told WIRED that the DOGE operatives would focus on how people identify themselves to access their benefits online.

Sources within SSA expect the project to begin in earnest once DOGE identifies and marks remaining beneficiaries as deceased and connecting disparate agency databases. In a Thursday morning court filing, an affidavit from SSA acting administrator Leland Dudek said that at least two DOGE operatives are currently working on a project formally called the “Are You Alive Project,” targeting what these operatives believe to be improper payments and fraud within the agency’s system by calling individual beneficiaries. The agency is currently battling for sweeping access to SSA’s systems in court to finish this work. (Again, 150-year-olds are not collecting social security benefits. That specific age was likely a quirk of COBOL. It doesn’t include a date type, so dates are often coded to a specific reference point—May 20, 1875, the date of an international standards-setting conference held in Paris, known as the Convention du Mètre.)

In order to migrate all COBOL code into a more modern language within a few months, DOGE would likely need to employ some form of generative artificial intelligence to help translate the millions of lines of code, sources tell WIRED. “DOGE thinks if they can say they got rid of all the COBOL in months, then their way is the right way, and we all just suck for not breaking shit,” says the SSA technologist.

DOGE would also need to develop tests to ensure the new system’s outputs match the previous one. It would be difficult to resolve all of the possible edge cases over the course of several years, let alone months, adds the SSA technologist.

“This is an environment that is held together with bail wire and duct tape,” the former senior SSA technologist working in the office of the chief information officer tells WIRED. “The leaders need to understand that they’re dealing with a house of cards or Jenga. If they start pulling pieces out, which they’ve already stated they’re doing, things can break.”