End-to-end analytics with Microsoft Fabric

Stephan Joubert, Data Engineer at cloudandthings.io.

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Microsoft Fabric allowed cloudandthings.io to deliver valuable data insights within just a few weeks.

Recently, cloudandthings.io assisted a client specialising in precision farming by building a data platform using Microsoft Fabric. This platform allows the client to monitor actual irrigation and fertilisation in all of its orchards, comparing daily actions with recommendations based on soil moisture and weather patterns.

cloudandthings.io provided this value through several key characteristics that Microsoft Fabric makes possible.

Microsoft Fabric, much like Power BI, is designed as a software as a service (SaaS) platform. It simplifies the complexity of managing infrastructure, data storage and the integration between compute engines and storage layers. Each compute engine in Microsoft Fabric natively reads the Delta Lake format, which is used for storing the tables. This seamless integration enabled us to concentrate on data processing and not on data infrastructure set-up, allowing for faster time to value when it came to deriving insights from the irrigation and fertilisation data.

Many clients struggle with unpredictable costs on their data platforms due to scattered tools and services. While it's still challenging to provide a precise cost estimate, Microsoft Fabric makes it easier to bucket costs. For our precision farming client, this meant greater clarity and confidence in budgeting for their data platform. We were able to provide the client with a clear estimate, allowing them to focus on optimising farm operations without worrying about unexpected platform expenses.

Previously, building a complete data solution required multiple tools – one for data ingestion (like Data Factory or AWS Lambda), another for data transformation (Synapse Analytics or AWS Glue), and yet another for visualisation (Power BI or Amazon QuickSight). Microsoft Fabric brings all these workloads together in one platform, using a shared storage and compute capacity. Whether it's ingesting data, performing AI workloads or real-time analysis, the platform’s cohesive structure makes governance and integration seamless.

Thanks to the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of Microsoft Fabric, we developed a managed service offering called the cloudandthings.io Business Insights Engine.

“This service allows clients to focus on deriving actionable insights from their data while we manage the integration, maintenance, and platform optimisations. With Microsoft Fabric, our clients can expect faster insights, reduced complexity and better cost control, all of which are critical in fast-paced, data-intensive industries,” says Stephan Joubert, Data Engineer at cloudandthings.io.

If you're interested in discovering how cloudandthings.io can help you unlock the power of Microsoft Fabric through our Business Insights Engine, feel free to reach out or visit our website. Let us help you turn your data into a strategic advantage.