A new data platform puts Spar Nord in control
To meet increasing demands for greater data compliance, speed, and quality, Danish bank Spar Nord made a strategic decision: to build its own data platform. This would make scattered inaccessible data a thing of the past, and enable the bank to enjoy full data transparency. What’s more, it would lay the foundation for the bank of the future – with improved data accessibility, governance, and support for innovation.
Client: Spar Nord
Industry: Banking and Financial Services
The co-build approach gets results
As they bank started planning their new data platform, they were certain of two things. Firstly, they wanted a cloud platform that could give them greater scalability and control over their data. And secondly, they wanted to be sure that they had the expertise and skills in house to maintain and further develop the platform.
By working with us, Spar Nord was able to achieve both goals – and within the ambitious timeframe of just six months.
Key results
- Microsoft Azure cloud platform implemented in just six months
- Enhanced data security and governance
- Upskilled internal team
- Greater scalability and stronger foundation for future AI integration
- Reduced costs
The co-build “tandem” approach
Rather than simply delivering a finished turnkey solution, we worked hand-in-hand with Spar Nord’s Centre of Excellence, Data & Analytics team in what has been described as a tandem approach. Michael Hjorth, Spar Nord’s Director of IT Operations and Development explains:
“Initially Twoday sat in the front and showed Spar Nord how to bike. But as we learnt and became more comfortable, we gradually assumed control, with Twoday stepping into a supportive role, allowing us to steer the project forward independently.”
Michael Hjorth
Director of IT Operations and Development, Spar Nord
This collaborative setup allowed Spar Nord to take ownership of the new data platform project from the very start. During the development process, the Spar Nord team took part in a series of online and in-person courses held by twoday on Microsoft Azure, the cloud technology behind the new data platform. These sessions gave the Spar Nord team a solid grounding in the technology and the opportunities a cloud environment could give the bank.
Databricks, Microsoft Fabric and the Lighthouse Framework
To streamline adoption of the cloud platform, Spar Nord chose to use the Twoday Lighthouse Framework to create a clear structure around the solution. This framework, part of the Databricks analytics ecosystem, acted as an accelerator, enabling rapid development while ensuring a best practice in cloud architecture, governance and security.
Spar Nord has now transitioned from its legacy servers to a modern Microsoft Azure-based data platform that integrates seamlessly with Power BI. The new solution improves data lineage and enables Spar Nord to run advanced analytics across the organization. Furthermore, as it is built in a high-security setup, the platform meets the tightened security requirements around DORA and NIS2, which are key components of its compliance framework.
With the new platform and a skilled internal team, Spar Nord can handle data faster and more securely for a competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving and highly regulated financial market.
Services delivered by Twoday
- Implementation of cloud solution
- Data architecture design
- Microsoft Azure training courses
- Data migration
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