Designing Data Platforms: Data Reliability & Contracts | Lakehouse Architecture

Hi Everyone,
Here we are, kicking off 2026 with the first edition of Expert Talks of the year in Chennai. We’re excited to welcome you on 31st January 2026 for an engaging in-person session with the community. Please join us from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM as we dive into insightful discussions and practical learnings around modern data platforms.
Event details are as follows:

Agenda :
1. Welcome & Intros (10 mins)
2. Talk 1: The Trust Architecture: Unifying Data Contracts and Reliability Engineering (45 mins)
3. Tea Break (15 mins)
4. Talk 2: Lakehouse Architecture & Apache Iceberg: Building Modern Data Platforms (45 mins)
5. Networking

Talk 1: The Trust Architecture: Unifying Data Contracts and Reliability Engineering

As data ecosystems mature, the primary bottleneck has shifted from processing volume to maintaining trust. This talk explores the convergence of Data Reliability Engineering (DRE) and Data Contracts as the definitive solution to the "garbage in, garbage out" cycle. We will examine how to transition from reactive pipeline patching to proactive architecture by treating data as a product with strict guarantees.
Key topics include the "Shift Left" methodology for data quality, defining Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for pipelines, and implementing Data Contracts that act as binding APIs between producers and consumers. Attendees will leave with a blueprint for building self-healing, deterministic data systems independent of their specific tech stack.

Outline

1. The "Data Chaos" Reality vs. Reliability
2. Defining the Standards: SLIs and SLAs
3. The Solution: Anatomy of a Data Contract
4. Architecture and Enforcement Strategies
5. Future Roadmap and Cultural Adoption
6. Demo Using DBT
7. Q&A

Talk 2: Lakehouse Architecture & Apache Iceberg: Building Modern Data Platforms

Modern data engineering demands a new approach to data platform architecture. Data lakes offer scalability and flexibility but lack governance, while data warehouses provide ACID guarantees but struggle with cost and vendor lock-in. The lakehouse architecture bridges this gap, combining cloud-scale object storage with enterprise-grade data management. This talk explores practical lakehouse architecture principles and deep-dives into Apache Iceberg, the production-ready table format powering next-generation data platforms.

Outline

1. Introduction to Lakehouse Architecture
2. Lakehouse Concepts & Architecture Foundations
3. Apache Iceberg Deep Dive: Architecture & Innovation
4. Multi-Engine Demo with Apache Iceberg
5. Adoption Strategies & Real-World Considerations
6. Q&A