Automation or death

I asked 50 airline operations controllers the same question: “How many different systems do you log into during a 12-hour shift?”


Average answer: 11 systems.


One dispatcher told me something I can’t stop thinking about: “By hour 8, I spend more energy remembering passwords than making decisions.”


Another said: “I maintain my own Excel spreadsheet because it’s less painful than using the three ‘integrated’ systems that supposedly do the same thing.”


That’s when I realized: We’ve been solving the wrong problem.

We thought the problem was integration. Or training. Or change management.


But neuroscience just revealed what’s actually happening: When researchers put people in brain scanners and showed them prices, the insula activated. That’s your pain center. The same region that fires when you get hurt. Your brain experiences friction as pain.


Every login. Every system switch. Every piece of data manually transferred. Your brain doesn’t just recognize these as inconvenient. It processes them as losses. As injuries.

And like any rational organism, it learns to avoid the pain.

We call those workarounds “expertise” and “tribal knowledge.” What they actually are: neural adaptations to pathological system design.


Think about what this means: An ops controller at 3 AM, hour 10 of their shift, facing a complex decision. Their cognitive capacity is already compromised by circadian rhythm.


But before they can even apply judgment, they have to:

→ Navigate 4 different systems

→ Reconcile conflicting data

→ Remember which interface uses which logic

→ Manually synthesize what should be automatic


Every one of those steps triggers the brain’s pain response.

By the time they reach the actual decision, their cognitive account is overdrawn.

And we wonder why errors cluster during night shifts and irregular operations.


The real question isn’t “how do we get better integration?”

The real question is: How much are we paying in cognitive currency—and what’s the exchange rate to safety, efficiency, and optimal decisions?


Operations professionals: What’s the most painful system transition in your workflow?

Technology teams: What would you eliminate first if you could start from scratch?

From Blogger iPhone client

Enterprise Data Producer Framework and registry system

Enterprise Data Producer Registration Framework written entirely in narrative form (no tables), suitable for strategy documentation or executive presentation.





Enterprise Data Producer Registration Framework




1. Purpose



The purpose of this framework is to establish a consistent, organization-wide method to register and manage all data producers within the enterprise.

A “data producer” is defined as any system, application, pipeline, API, sensor, or analytical process that creates, collects, or transforms data.

The framework ensures that every data producer is discoverable, owned, governed, and quality-assured across all data domains.





2. Core Principles



This framework is built around four key principles:



  1. Accountability – Every dataset and producer must have a clearly defined owner and steward responsible for its quality and metadata.
  2. Transparency – All data producers should be visible through a centralized catalog or registry, eliminating hidden or duplicate sources.
  3. Governance by Design – Metadata, lineage, and quality indicators must be automatically captured during data creation or ingestion.
  4. Automation and Integration – Registration and updates should be integrated into development workflows, ensuring minimal manual effort.






3. Framework Layers




A. Policy and Governance Layer



The first layer defines what qualifies as a data producer and sets mandatory requirements for registration.

Standards are established for metadata capture, lineage documentation, and data quality expectations.

Each data producer must have a designated data owner and data steward.

A formal Data Producer Registration Policy mandates that all new data-producing systems or pipelines must be registered before going live in production environments.





B. Metadata and Catalog Layer



A central metadata repository or data catalog serves as the single source of truth for all registered producers.

Each producer’s profile includes essential metadata such as producer name, description, business domain, system type, data owner, data steward, frequency of data generation, data sensitivity classification, data quality service levels, and known lineage (upstream and downstream dependencies).

This metadata ensures that each producer is searchable and traceable, allowing teams to discover and evaluate data sources with full context.





C. Technical Integration Layer



Registration and updates should be automated through integration with the organization’s technology stack.

When a new data pipeline or API is deployed, the system automatically registers the producer and its metadata through CI/CD hooks or API-based onboarding.

Automated scanners can periodically identify new producers in databases, data lakes, or cloud storage and prompt teams to complete their registration.

This layer ensures the registry remains accurate and up to date without requiring excessive manual administration.





D. Governance and Control Layer



Once producers are registered, governance processes ensure continued compliance.

Each producer undergoes periodic certification or review, typically every six to twelve months, to confirm ownership, lineage accuracy, and data quality performance.

Data quality dashboards monitor each producer for issues such as missing values, anomalies, or SLA breaches.

When producers introduce schema or logic changes, the system performs impact analysis based on lineage to alert downstream data consumers and systems.





E. Business Enablement Layer



A user-friendly Producer Registry Portal or interface allows data owners, analysts, and engineers to search, view, and manage producer information.

Through this interface, users can explore available producers by business domain, view ownership details, request access to datasets, or initiate formal data-sharing agreements.

The portal also provides visibility into producer performance and quality metrics, empowering teams to make data-driven decisions with confidence.





4. Key Metrics



To evaluate success, several metrics are tracked continuously:



  • The percentage of data producers that are registered.
  • The percentage of producers with complete metadata profiles.
  • The percentage of producers with active data quality monitoring.
  • The average time required to register a new producer.
  • The number of unregistered or uncertified producers identified through audits.



These metrics are reported to the Data Governance Council or Chief Data Office as part of the organization’s data governance maturity program.





5. Implementation Approach



The registration framework is implemented using a combination of metadata management, workflow automation, and governance tools.

Metadata and lineage are managed in a central catalog, while CI/CD systems, orchestration tools, and APIs handle automated onboarding and updates.

Governance responsibilities are clearly defined: the Data Office owns and maintains the framework, Data Stewards ensure compliance, Engineering Teams provide metadata and automate registration, and the Data Governance Council performs periodic reviews and audits.





6. Expected Outcomes



When fully implemented, this framework provides the enterprise with a comprehensive inventory of all data producers, complete lineage from source to consumption, and consistent metadata across all data domains.

It strengthens data governance, reduces duplication and data risk, improves quality monitoring, and supports regulatory compliance.

Ultimately, it lays the foundation for a trusted, discoverable, and well-managed data ecosystem across the organization.



Policy



Enterprise Data Producer Registration Policy and Governance Standard



Version: 1.0

Owner: Chief Data Office

Approved by: Data Governance Council

Effective Date: [Insert Date]





1. Purpose



This policy establishes the mandatory process for registering and maintaining all data producers within the enterprise.

It ensures full visibility, ownership, and governance of systems and processes that generate, collect, or transform data.

The goal is to improve data discoverability, quality, lineage transparency, and compliance across all business units.





2. Scope



This policy applies to all business areas, data domains, and technology platforms that:


  • Generate, capture, or transform data through systems, pipelines, APIs, models, or sensors.
  • Store or transmit data to enterprise data platforms (data lake, data warehouse, analytics, ERP, etc.).
  • Create or maintain datasets that are consumed by internal or external stakeholders.



The policy covers all environments — development, testing, and production — across on-premises and cloud platforms.





3. Policy Statement



All data producers must be registered in the enterprise metadata catalog before being promoted to production.

Registration ensures that each data producer has a clearly defined owner, steward, and metadata record including technical, business, and governance attributes.

Unregistered or uncertified producers are not permitted to publish or distribute enterprise data.





4. Definitions



  • Data Producer: Any system, application, ETL/ELT pipeline, API, or model that creates, collects, or transforms data.
  • Data Owner: The accountable individual or team responsible for the producer’s integrity, security, and compliance.
  • Data Steward: The individual responsible for maintaining metadata, lineage, and quality metrics associated with a producer.
  • Metadata Catalog: The enterprise platform used to record, search, and manage producer information and lineage.






5. Registration Requirements



Each data producer must be registered with the following details:


  • Name and description of the producer.
  • Business domain and functional area.
  • Source and target systems.
  • Data owner and data steward information.
  • Data sensitivity classification (PII, confidential, public, etc.).
  • Data refresh frequency and integration schedule.
  • Key quality metrics and SLAs.
  • Upstream and downstream lineage information.



Registration must occur through the Producer Registration Portal or automated CI/CD onboarding workflows.





6. Governance Responsibilities



  • Chief Data Office (CDO): Owns this policy, defines standards, and monitors compliance.
  • Data Governance Council: Approves the policy, reviews metrics, and enforces adherence across business units.
  • Data Owners: Ensure that producers under their control are registered, accurate, and compliant with classification and quality standards.
  • Data Stewards: Maintain metadata completeness, monitor quality, and update lineage changes.
  • Engineering Teams: Automate registration in CI/CD pipelines and provide technical metadata to the catalog.






7. Compliance and Auditing



Compliance will be monitored quarterly through governance dashboards and metadata completeness reports.

Unregistered producers or incomplete metadata will trigger remediation actions by the Data Governance Office.

Non-compliance may result in suspension of data publication or access until registration is completed.





8. Metrics for Success



The following metrics will be tracked to measure policy effectiveness:


  • Percentage of producers registered in the metadata catalog.
  • Percentage of producers with complete and validated metadata.
  • Percentage of producers with active quality monitoring.
  • Mean time to register a new data producer.
  • Number of uncertified or inactive producers.






9. Review Cycle



This policy will be reviewed annually by the Chief Data Office and the Data Governance Council to ensure continued alignment with enterprise standards, data management frameworks, and regulatory requirements.





10. Expected Outcomes



Implementation of this policy will result in:


  • A complete and trusted inventory of all enterprise data producers.
  • Clear accountability for data ownership and stewardship.
  • Consistent metadata and lineage visibility across the organization.
  • Improved data quality and reduced duplication.
  • Stronger compliance with data governance, privacy, and audit requirements.



From Blogger iPhone client

Strategic risks in airline

Excellent — you’re thinking exactly like a strategist now.


If Qatar Airways launches a subscription-based travel ecosystem (a Blue Ocean move) and other airlines replicate it, there are several structural risks and economic downsides — unless Qatar Airways captures early market share through advance commitments and ecosystem lock-in.


Let’s break it down systematically:





⚠️ 1. 

Commoditization Risk



What happens:

If Emirates, Etihad, or Turkish copy the model (even partially), “subscriptions” may become a standard product feature — similar to how loyalty programs lost exclusivity.


Downside:


  • Price wars: Airlines compete on subscription price rather than experience.
  • Margins shrink as customers cherry-pick the best deal each year.
  • The brand loses its differentiation narrative (“We invented it”).



Why advance commitments help:


  • If Qatar secures long-term members through annual or corporate travel subscriptions, it locks in high-value flyers before others can replicate.
  • Early contracts create switching friction for customers (e.g., stored perks, loyalty tiers, personalized data profiles).






🧩 2. 

Capacity and Cost Pressure



What happens:

Subscription users tend to fly more frequently to maximize their perceived value — a phenomenon seen with Surf Air and unlimited gym memberships.


Downside:


  • Higher load factor but lower yield per seat.
  • Increased operational costs (fuel, crew, airport charges).
  • Risk of “super-users” eroding profitability.



Why advance commitments help:


  • If users pre-pay or commit upfront (e.g., 6–12 month minimum term, limited seat quotas per tier), it stabilizes cash flow and prevents overuse.
  • Qatar can control flight distribution dynamically, optimizing yield per flight.






💰 3. 

Cash Flow Dilution if Replicated



What happens:

If others launch similar models (Emirates Pass, Etihad Plus, Turkish Unlimited), customers may split their spending across programs.


Downside:


  • No airline secures meaningful upfront cash reserves.
  • Predictable recurring revenue becomes fragmented.
  • The market turns from “subscription loyalty” to “flexible cancellation loyalty.”



Why advance commitments help:


  • Lock-ins or prepayment (annual instead of monthly) turn the model from subscription-as-service to subscription-as-capitalization — a cash infusion Qatar can reinvest before competitors catch up.
  • Qatar can use that capital to subsidize better experiences (premium lounges, Doha stopovers, private transfers), making imitation less appealing.






✈️ 4. 

Brand Dilution if Replicated by Budget Carriers



What happens:

If low-cost carriers (like Wizz Air or Ryanair) push aggressive subscription plans first, the concept may become associated with budget, not premium.


Downside:


  • Premium travelers may perceive subscriptions as low-end or “discount” models.
  • Qatar’s luxury brand equity risks erosion if not differentiated properly.



Why advance commitments help:


  • Qatar can secure corporate and high-end customers early, setting the standard for “Luxury Mobility Subscriptions.”
  • Once positioned at the top, competitors face “down-market” pressure — they can’t credibly match the prestige tier.






🧠 5. 

Data & Ecosystem Disadvantage



What happens:

If others replicate quickly, data moats narrow. Airlines may build their own ecosystems around loyalty and subscriptions.


Downside:


  • The advantage of data-driven personalization diminishes if everyone collects similar behavior data.
  • Vendors (hotels, tourism boards, car rentals) might split their partnerships among multiple airlines.



Why advance commitments help:


  • Early partnerships with travel ecosystems (Qatar Tourism, Booking.com, Mastercard, etc.) can lock in exclusive integrations — making Qatar Airways’ subscription not just about flying, but about owning the end-to-end travel graph.
  • Data accumulated early becomes an AI-driven barrier to entry for competitors.






🔒 6. 

Strategic Lock-In: Why Advance Commitments Matter



To protect first-mover advantage, Qatar Airways should:


  1. Launch with an advance commitment window — e.g. “Founding Member Global Pass” (limited seats, early adopter pricing).
  2. Secure multi-year corporate travel deals — turning business travel into predictable subscription revenue.
  3. Integrate vertically with hotels, airport lounges, and Discover Qatar — so replication requires ecosystem, not just flights.
  4. Build loyalty-based switching costs — reward history, data personalization, and custom experiences that can’t transfer.
  5. Create a financial lock-in — via wallet credits or travel credits that grow with loyalty (expiring only within Qatar ecosystem).






🔮 Strategic Framing Summary



Risk if Replicated

Impact

Defense via Advance Commitments

Price erosion

Loss of premium differentiation

Annual lock-in tiers & corporate contracts

Overuse of subscription

Margin compression

Usage caps, dynamic yield pricing

Brand dilution

Weakening luxury appeal

Premium-only membership tiers

Data parity

Loss of personalization edge

Early data moat from large base

Ecosystem fragmentation

Lost network effects

Exclusive tourism & hotel partnerships


To make a subscription-based travel model sustainable, Qatar Airways must act fast to secure advance customer commitments and ecosystem exclusivity before Emirates, Etihad, or Turkish can imitate it.


Replication will eventually happen — but Qatar’s defensive moat will be built on:

(a) early adopter loyalty,

(b) corporate lock-ins,

(c) superior data integration, and

(d) ecosystem depth beyond the aircraft.


From Blogger iPhone client

Travel Blue Ocean

Excellent strategic question — and very high-level. Let’s think through it properly.


A Blue Ocean Strategy means creating new demand and uncontested market space, instead of fighting competitors (like Emirates, Etihad, or Turkish Airlines) in the existing red ocean (premium service, hub model, route network).


Here’s how Qatar Airways could apply a Blue Ocean Strategy to leapfrog and make competitors irrelevant — not by being better, but by being different.





🧭 BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY FOR QATAR AIRWAYS




1. 

Reinvent “Travel as a Lifestyle Subscription”



Concept: Shift from “selling tickets” to “owning the travel experience.”

Why it’s Blue Ocean: None of the major legacy airlines have a Netflix-style travel membership model.

Execution Ideas:


  • Introduce Qatar Airways Global Pass — a hybrid subscription offering:
  • Tiered plans (Explorer, Business Nomad, Jet Executive)
  • Predictable monthly payments covering certain miles or segments
  • Add-ons for hotels (via Discover Qatar), lounge, and private transfers

  • Partner with Qatar Tourism, hotels, and Qatar Duty Free to integrate a complete mobility lifestyle.
  • Offer personalized travel data dashboards (CO₂ offset, destinations covered, experiences earned).



Impact:

Turns Qatar Airways from a carrier into a mobility ecosystem brand, appealing to global digital nomads, expats, and corporates managing distributed teams.





2. 

Build the First “Data-Driven Airline Ecosystem”



Concept: Make data the core differentiator.

Why it’s Blue Ocean: Airlines today compete on hardware (fleet, routes, service). No one dominates on insight and personalization.

Execution Ideas:


  • Create Qatar Airways Intelligence Cloud — a single data platform linking flight behavior, loyalty, and ancillary preferences.
  • AI-driven pricing, proactive rebooking, and predictive comfort customization (meals, seat zones, entertainment).
  • Use data as a service: Partner with tourism boards and airports to provide insights.



Impact:

Transforms customer loyalty into data intimacy — hard for Emirates or Turkish to copy quickly.





3. 

Reposition Doha as a “Destination-Transit Hybrid”



Concept: Make Doha stopovers desirable, not incidental.

Why it’s Blue Ocean: Emirates and Etihad treat layovers as passive.

Execution Ideas:


  • Offer “Qatar Micro-Vacations” (6–24-hour curated layovers with themes: wellness, art, desert, Islamic heritage).
  • AI suggests itineraries automatically when a traveler books.
  • Subscription travelers earn experience badges and perks with Discover Qatar.



Impact:

Generates ancillary revenue and builds tourism loyalty to Qatar itself, beyond flights.





4. 

Lead in “Decarbonized Luxury Travel”



Concept: Define luxury around sustainability, mindfulness, and digital efficiency, not gold trim.

Why it’s Blue Ocean: Emirates and Turkish associate luxury with opulence, not purpose.

Execution Ideas:


  • Launch the “Qatar Conscious Class” — carbon-neutral premium seats with sustainable materials, healthy cuisine, digital detox options.
  • Integrate a CO₂ tracker for each trip in the mobile app.
  • Partner with green technology companies to certify the airline’s footprint transparently.



Impact:

Owns the emerging niche of eco-luxury travel, differentiating from competitors’ material luxury.





5. 

Monetize “Global Mobility-as-a-Service”



Concept: Expand beyond aviation into global travel mobility platforms.

Execution Ideas:


  • Build a Qatar Travel Cloud offering combined airline + ground + hotel + experience subscription bundles.
  • Integrate with digital nomad visas and global co-working providers.
  • Use Qatar Airways’ brand trust to manage end-to-end lifestyle mobility.



Impact:

Positions the airline as a borderless lifestyle brand rather than a regional carrier.





⚔️ Strategic Summary Table


Dimension

Emirates / Etihad / Turkish

Qatar Airways Blue Ocean Move

Business Model

Premium flight sales

Subscription-based mobility

Customer Experience

Luxury inflight

Lifestyle ecosystem

Loyalty

Points system

Personalized, data-driven travel intelligence

Sustainability

Limited

Decarbonized luxury leadership

Transit

Layover hub

Experiential destination

Revenue Source

Seat + ancillaries

Recurring revenue + data + ecosystem monetization

From Blogger iPhone client

Travel Subscription Model

Yes — several airlines have tried variants of subscription or membership models for travel. Depending on how broadly you define “subscription,” there are loyalty programs, unlimited-flight passes, bundled perks, etc. Here are some examples, plus what has worked (and what challenges come with them):





Examples of airline subscription / membership travel models



  1. Wizz Air – “All You Can Fly”
  2. Wizz Air introduced a subscription that lets members fly “unlimited” across its network for a fixed annual fee (e.g. ~€499, rising to €599). 
  3. There are limitations: fees per segment (~€9.99), booking window constraints (you must book a few days ahead), limited availability and seats, minimal baggage included, etc.  
  4. Ryanair – Prime membership
  5. Ryanair launched “Prime,” a €79/year subscription giving reserved seat selection, travel insurance, plus access to monthly seat sales.  
  6. Jazeera Airways – Jazeera Savers
  7. Based in Kuwait, this is a subscription club (annual fee) giving discounts on flights and ancillary services; also for families.  
  8. Qatar Airways – Privilege Club Pro
  9. Rather than unlimited flights, this is a loyalty-subscription hybrid: members pay a monthly or annual fee to receive extra Avios (miles) and “Qpoints” to accelerate status in their loyalty programme.  
  10. Surf Air
  11. This is a private / semi-private airline model in U.S./Europe that offers “all-you-can-fly” style membership with fixed monthly subscription, using private terminals etc.  
  12. American Airlines – AAirpass
  13. Historically, AA had a very ambitious plan: the “AAirpass” offered “lifetime” or long-term unlimited first-class flights globally, but at a very high upfront cost. It’s been discontinued in the unlimited form.  






What works and what are the challenges



What works:


  • It’s attractive to frequent flyers or travellers who fly lots of short/medium-haul trips; subscription makes cost predictable.
  • Helps airlines build loyalty, get recurring revenue up front.
  • Can fill less popular flights and improve utilisation (especially for budget / low-cost carriers).



Challenges:


  • Capacity constraints / availability: To avoid cannibalization of regular fare revenue, airlines often restrict which seats are available to sub-holders, or limit booking windows, days/times, etc.
  • Cost vs usage: If someone flies “a lot,” the airline needs to ensure the subscription revenue covers costs (fuel, crew, wear & tear). Otherwise the model loses money.
  • Pricing: Pricing it too low risks loss; too high and fewer people buy.
  • Ancillaries (baggage, seat selection, etc.): Usually these are excluded or limited, or have extra fees.
  • Operational complexity: Managing “unlimited” passes requires forecasting and balancing load, because overuse or clustering can create bottlenecks.





So in summary: yes, various airlines have already packaged travel in subscription-like models. Some are more “membership + perks,” others are closer to unlimited or semi-unlimited flights. If you want, I can survey a more exhaustive list, or look by region (Middle East, Asia, etc.) to see how common this is. Do you want me to pull that together?


From Blogger iPhone client

Medallion layer management

Managing Medallion Architecture schemas (Bronze → Silver → Gold) dynamically using open-source tools is an efficient and scalable way to handle schema evolution, automation, and governance without relying on commercial tools.


The goal is to have a system that can read schema definitions dynamically (from YAML or JSON), automatically generate and manage schemas and views, support schema evolution when new columns are added or removed, and work consistently across all three layers — Bronze, Silver, and Gold — while remaining fully open-source and version-controlled.


Recommended open-source stack includes:



  • Schema storage: YAML or JSON with Git for versioning
  • Schema versioning: Liquibase or schemachange
  • Data modeling: dbt Core (open source)
  • Metadata and validation: Great Expectations or pydantic
  • Workflow orchestration: Apache Airflow or Dagster
  • Schema registry (optional): Apache Atlas or Amundsen for lineage tracking



For the Bronze layer, which handles raw ingestion, schemas can be inferred automatically from data sources such as Parquet, JSON, or CSV using Python libraries like pandas or pyarrow. The inferred schema is then stored as YAML for tracking and governance. Technologies such as Delta Lake or Apache Iceberg can be used to handle schema evolution and metadata automatically. The YAML file for Bronze would typically define the data source location, inference date, and the inferred schema fields.


In the Silver layer, which focuses on standardized and cleaned data, dynamic schema management comes into full use. YAML is used to define expected schemas, which can then be validated against the actual data before transformation. Great Expectations can enforce schema and data validation, while Jinja templating can be used to dynamically generate SQL that applies cleaning, casting, and normalization logic. For example, columns can be automatically cast to their expected types or cleaned using standard transformations defined in YAML. These transformations can then be executed using dbt Core or custom Python SQL runners.


The Gold layer is designed for aggregations and business-level transformations. Here, you can use YAML-driven metric definitions, specifying KPIs, calculations, and grouping logic. SQL views or materialized views are generated dynamically from these YAML definitions, providing a curated, business-ready data layer. These gold views can also be refreshed periodically using orchestration tools like Airflow.


Schema evolution is managed by automatically detecting changes, such as new columns in the Bronze layer, and propagating them downstream where appropriate. Every schema update is versioned in Git or logged in a changelog YAML with details like version number, added or dropped columns, and timestamps. Open-source tools like schemachange, Liquibase, or pyiceberg help track and apply these schema changes across environments.


Automation is typically handled through an orchestration pipeline such as Airflow or Dagster, which can run jobs in sequence: ingesting raw data and inferring schema for Bronze, storing or updating the schema YAML, validating and cleaning data for Silver, generating and updating Gold views, and finally notifying stakeholders of any schema changes.


A recommended folder structure for this approach includes three schema folders (bronze, silver, gold) each containing YAML files for datasets, a scripts folder with Python utilities for schema generation and validation, a dbt project folder for model definitions, and a folder for orchestration DAGs such as medallion_schema_dag.py.


Best practices summary:

For Bronze, schemas are inferred automatically using tools like pyarrow or delta-rs and stored as YAML for documentation. For Silver, schemas are defined explicitly in YAML and validated with Great Expectations, while dbt or templated SQL applies the cleaning and transformation. For Gold, schemas are YAML-defined and version-controlled, with SQL logic dynamically generated to build metrics or views for business consumption.


Combining open-source tools such as Delta Lake or Iceberg for data storage and evolution, dbt Core for transformations, Great Expectations for validation, Airflow or Dagster for orchestration, and YAML with Git for schema as code provides a fully open-source, dynamic, and maintainable framework for Medallion Architecture schema management.


If needed, this setup can be extended with a fully open-source schema governance framework by integrating Apache Atlas or Amundsen for lineage tracking and metadata discovery.


If you’d like, a complete open-source architecture diagram and folder template can be generated that illustrates how YAML, Python, dbt, and Great Expectations interact to implement this dynamic Medallion schema management approach.



If you want fully open-source dynamic schema governance, you can combine:


  • Delta Lake or Iceberg for storage and schema evolution
  • dbt Core for transformation
  • Great Expectations for schema validation
  • Airflow or Dagster for orchestration
  • YAML + Git for schema as code


Folder structure

/schemas

 /bronze

  customers.yaml

  orders.yaml

 /silver

  customers_clean.yaml

  orders_enriched.yaml

 /gold

  customer_metrics.yaml


/scripts

 schema_generator.py

 schema_validator.py


/dbt_project

 models/

  bronze/

  silver/

  gold/


/airflow_dags

 medallion_schema_dag.py


From Blogger iPhone client

Dynamic handling of Medallion layer schema

Here’s a clean, single-copy version without code blocks or formatting boxes so you can easily copy it all at once:




Excellent question — this is a very relevant problem in data engineering pipelines following the medallion architecture (Bronze → Silver → Gold).


Let’s go through the best practices for using YAML + Python to define and generate table schemas and views for each layer (Bronze, Silver, Gold).


  1. Core Concept
  2. Instead of hardcoding SQL or schema definitions, you maintain YAML files that describe:




  • Table name and layer (bronze/silver/gold)
  • Columns and types
  • Source or transformation logic
  • Primary/foreign keys
  • Partition and clustering details



Your Python code then reads the YAML and:


  • Generates CREATE TABLE DDL for each layer
  • Generates views for transformations (Silver, Gold)
  • Optionally executes them (e.g., via BigQuery, Databricks, or Snowflake SDKs)




  1. Example YAML Schema Design



tables:


  • name: customer_bronze
  • layer: bronze
  • source: gs://raw-data/customers.csv
  • description: “Raw customer data from CRM system”
  • columns:
  • name: customer_id
  • type: STRING
  • nullable: false
  • name: name
  • type: STRING
  • name: created_at
  • type: TIMESTAMP
  • metadata:
  • partition_by: created_at
  • format: parquet

  • name: customer_silver
  • layer: silver
  • source_table: customer_bronze
  • description: “Cleaned and deduplicated customer data”
  • transformations:
  • “SELECT DISTINCT * FROM {{source_table}}”
  • columns:
  • name: customer_id
  • type: STRING
  • name: name
  • type: STRING
  • name: created_at
  • type: TIMESTAMP

  • name: customer_gold
  • layer: gold
  • source_table: customer_silver
  • description: “Customer aggregated metrics”
  • transformations:
  • |
  • SELECT
  • customer_id,
  • COUNT(*) AS transaction_count,
  • MAX(created_at) AS last_transaction
  • FROM {{source_table}}
  • GROUP BY customer_id
  • columns:
  • name: customer_id
  • type: STRING
  • name: transaction_count
  • type: INTEGER
  • name: last_transaction
  • type: TIMESTAMP




  1. Python Script to Generate DDL and Views



import yaml

from jinja2 import Template


def load_yaml(yaml_file):

with open(yaml_file, ‘r’) as f:

return yaml.safe_load(f)


def generate_create_table_sql(table):

cols = “,\n “.join([

f”{col[‘name’]} {col[‘type’]}{’’ if col.get(‘nullable’, True) else ’ NOT NULL’}”

for col in table[‘columns’]

])

table_name = table[‘name’]

sql = f”CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE {table_name} (\n {cols}\n)”

if ‘metadata’ in table and table[‘metadata’].get(‘partition_by’):

sql += f”\nPARTITION BY {table[‘metadata’][‘partition_by’]}”

if ‘metadata’ in table and table[‘metadata’].get(‘format’):

sql += f”\nOPTIONS (format=’{table[‘metadata’][‘format’]}’)”

return sql + “;”


def generate_view_sql(table):

if ‘transformations’ not in table:

return None

source_table = table.get(‘source_table’)

transformation_sql = “\n”.join(table[‘transformations’])

sql_template = Template(transformation_sql)

rendered_sql = sql_template.render(source_table=source_table)

return f”CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW {table[‘name’]} AS\n{rendered_sql};”


if name == “main”:

schema = load_yaml(‘tables.yaml’)

for table in schema[‘tables’]:

if table[‘layer’] == ‘bronze’:

ddl = generate_create_table_sql(table)

else:

ddl = generate_view_sql(table)

print(f”\n– {table[‘name’].upper()} ({table[‘layer’]})\n{ddl}\n”)


  1. Best Practices Summary



YAML Design


  • Keep each layer’s YAML separate (bronze.yaml, silver.yaml, gold.yaml) for modularity.
  • Use Jinja templating inside YAML for reusable transformations.
  • Add metadata for partitioning, file format, and owner/team.



Code Design


  • Use a class-based model (Table, Column) to represent tables.
  • Validate YAML schema using pydantic or cerberus.
  • Add unit tests to verify SQL generation.
  • Optionally, store schema history (for auditing schema evolution).



Layer Logic


From Blogger iPhone client

Creating Schema at runtime using Python

Excellent — this is a powerful and very reusable data engineering utility. ✅


Let’s design a Python function that:


  • Reads a YAML file describing a BigQuery table schema
  • Generates a BigQuery CREATE TABLE SQL statement
  • Supports all major BigQuery data types, including nested STRUCT and repeated ARRAY fields



Below you’ll find a clean, copy-friendly full script (no code cells), including an example YAML file and example output.





Example YAML (table_schema.yaml)



table_name: sales_data

dataset_name: analytics


columns:


  • name: order_id
  • type: INT64
  • mode: REQUIRED
  • name: customer_name
  • type: STRING
  • mode: NULLABLE
  • name: order_date
  • type: DATE
  • mode: NULLABLE
  • name: total_amount
  • type: FLOAT64
  • mode: NULLABLE
  • name: is_priority
  • type: BOOL
  • mode: NULLABLE
  • name: items
  • type: RECORD
  • mode: REPEATED
  • fields:
  • name: item_id
  • type: STRING
  • mode: REQUIRED
  • name: quantity
  • type: INT64
  • mode: NULLABLE
  • name: attributes
  • type: RECORD
  • mode: NULLABLE
  • fields:
  • name: color
  • type: STRING
  • mode: NULLABLE
  • name: size
  • type: STRING
  • mode: NULLABLE







Python Script (generate_bigquery_create.py)



import yaml


def load_yaml_schema(file_path):

“”“Load table schema from YAML file.”””

with open(file_path, ‘r’) as f:

return yaml.safe_load(f)


def generate_field_sql(field):

“”“Recursively generate SQL for a field, including nested STRUCT and ARRAY.”””

name = field[“name”]

field_type = field[“type”].upper()

mode = field.get(“mode”, “NULLABLE”).upper()




# If this field is a RECORD/STRUCT

if field_type in ("RECORD", "STRUCT"):

  nested_fields = field.get("fields", [])

  nested_sql_parts = [generate_field_sql(f) for f in nested_fields]

  struct_sql = f"STRUCT< {', '.join(nested_sql_parts)} >"

  base_sql = f"{name} {struct_sql}"

else:

  base_sql = f"{name} {field_type}"


# Handle ARRAY / REPEATED fields

if mode == "REPEATED":

  base_sql = f"{name} ARRAY<{field_type if field_type not in ('RECORD', 'STRUCT') else f'STRUCT<{', '.join([generate_field_sql(f) for f in field.get('fields', [])])}>'}>"

return base_sql


def generate_create_table_sql(schema_dict):

“”“Generate BigQuery CREATE TABLE statement from schema dictionary.”””

dataset_name = schema_dict[“dataset_name”]

table_name = schema_dict[“table_name”]

columns = schema_dict[“columns”]


column_sql_parts = [generate_field_sql(col) for col in columns]

columns_sql = ",\n ".join(column_sql_parts)


sql = f"""CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE `{dataset_name}.{table_name}` (


column_sql_parts = [generate_field_sql(col) for col in columns]

columns_sql = ",\n ".join(column_sql_parts)


sql = f"""CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE `{dataset_name}.{table_name}` (


{columns_sql}

);”””

return sql


def main():

yaml_path = “table_schema.yaml” # path to your YAML file

schema = load_yaml_schema(yaml_path)

sql = generate_create_table_sql(schema)

print(sql)


if name == “main”:

main()





Example Output



CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE analytics.sales_data (

order_id INT64,

customer_name STRING,

order_date DATE,

total_amount FLOAT64,

is_priority BOOL,

items ARRAY<STRUCT<item_id STRING, quantity INT64, attributes STRUCT<color STRING, size STRING>>>

);




✅ Supported Data Types


  • STRING
  • INT64
  • FLOAT64
  • BOOL
  • DATE, DATETIME, TIMESTAMP
  • RECORD / STRUCT (nested)
  • ARRAY / REPEATED (nested or primitive)



✅ Advantages


  • Easy to update schemas by editing YAML instead of SQL
  • Supports deeply nested JSON-like structures
  • Ideal for data pipeline automation or metadata-driven design



From Blogger iPhone client

Microsoft Power BI using Rest API Python

Excellent — connecting to a Power BI workspace using Python lets you automate publishing, refreshing, or managing datasets via the Power BI REST API.


Here’s a full, clean, copy-friendly guide (no code cells, no formatting issues).

You can select all and copy directly into your Python environment.





Connect to Power BI Workspace using Python




Step 1 — Install required Python libraries



pip install requests msal



Step 2 — Set up Azure AD app (Service Principal)



  1. Go to Azure Portal → Azure Active Directory → App registrations → New registration
  2. Note down:
  3. Application (client) ID
  4. Directory (tenant) ID

  5. Create a Client Secret under “Certificates & Secrets”.
  6. In Power BI Service → Admin portal → Tenant settings → Developer settings, enable:
  7. Allow service principals to use Power BI APIs
  8. Allow service principals to access Power BI workspaces

  9. Add your app to the target workspace:
  10. Power BI → Workspace → Access → Add → Enter app name → Assign role (Admin or Member)





Step 3 — Define authentication details in Python



import requests

import msal



Tenant ID, Client ID, and Client Secret from your Azure AD app



tenant_id = “YOUR_TENANT_ID”

client_id = “YOUR_CLIENT_ID”

client_secret = “YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET”



Power BI API scope and authority



authority = f”https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant_id}”

scope = [“https://analysis.windows.net/powerbi/api/.default”]



Create MSAL confidential client app



app = msal.ConfidentialClientApplication(

client_id,

authority=authority,

client_credential=client_secret

)



Get access token



token_result = app.acquire_token_for_client(scopes=scope)

access_token = token_result[“access_token”]


print(“Access token acquired successfully!”)



Step 4 — Connect to Power BI and list all workspaces



headers = {

“Authorization”: f”Bearer {access_token}”

}


response = requests.get(“https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups”, headers=headers)


if response.status_code == 200:

workspaces = response.json()[“value”]

for ws in workspaces:

print(f”Name: {ws[‘name’]} | ID: {ws[‘id’]}”)

else:

print(“Error:”, response.status_code, response.text)



Step 5 — List all reports in a specific workspace



workspace_id = “YOUR_WORKSPACE_ID”


url = f”https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspace_id}/reports”

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)


if response.status_code == 200:

reports = response.json()[“value”]

for report in reports:

print(f”Report: {report[‘name’]} | ID: {report[‘id’]}”)

else:

print(“Error:”, response.status_code, response.text)



Step 6 — (Optional) Upload a new .pbix report to workspace



pbix_file_path = “C:\Reports\FinanceDashboard.pbix”

dataset_display_name = “FinanceDashboard”


url = f”https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/{workspace_id}/imports?datasetDisplayName={dataset_display_name}”


with open(pbix_file_path, “rb”) as pbix_file:

response = requests.post(

url,

headers={

“Authorization”: f”Bearer {access_token}”,

“Content-Type”: “application/octet-stream”

},

data=pbix_file

)


if response.status_code in [200, 202]:

print(“Report uploaded successfully!”)

else:

print(“Error:”, response.status_code, response.text)




✅ Notes


  • The msal library handles secure Azure AD authentication.
  • The access token is valid for about 1 hour — refresh when needed.
  • You can perform additional actions using the Power BI REST API (refresh datasets, rebind reports, delete reports, etc.).
  • For production automation, store secrets in Azure Key Vault.





Would you like me to extend this with dataset refresh automation (Python script that triggers a refresh and checks its status)?


From Blogger iPhone client

Publish Microsoft power bi using power shell


PowerShell Script — Publish Power BI Report to Cloud




Install Power BI PowerShell module (run once)



Install-Module -Name MicrosoftPowerBIMgmt -Scope CurrentUser



Login to Power BI Service



Login-PowerBIServiceAccount



Define variables



$pbixPath = “C:\Reports\SalesDashboard.pbix”

$workspaceName = “Finance Analytics”

$reportName = “Sales Dashboard”



Get workspace ID



$workspace = Get-PowerBIWorkspace -Name $workspaceName

$workspaceId = $workspace.Id



Publish report to Power BI Service



New-PowerBIReport -Path $pbixPath -Name $reportName -WorkspaceId $workspaceId -ConflictAction CreateOrOverwrite



Verify upload



Get-PowerBIReport -WorkspaceId $workspaceId



Optional — Save as reusable PowerShell script (publish_report.ps1)



param (

[string]$pbixPath,

[string]$workspaceName,

[string]$reportName

)


Import-Module MicrosoftPowerBIMgmt

Login-PowerBIServiceAccount


$workspace = Get-PowerBIWorkspace -Name $workspaceName

New-PowerBIReport -Path $pbixPath -Name $reportName -WorkspaceId $workspace.Id -ConflictAction CreateOrOverwrite


Logout-PowerBIServiceAccount



Example run command



.\publish_report.ps1 -pbixPath “C:\Reports\Finance.pbix” -workspaceName “Finance BI” -reportName “Finance Overview”



Advanced option — Use REST API directly



$token = (Get-PowerBIAccessToken).AccessToken

$workspaceId = “xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx”


Invoke-RestMethod -Uri “https://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/myorg/groups/$workspaceId/imports?datasetDisplayName=SalesDashboard” -Headers @{Authorization = "Bearer $token"}

-Method Post -InFile "C:\Reports\SalesDashboard.pbix"

-ContentType “application/octet-stream”




✅ Notes


  • Make sure you have permission to publish to the workspace.
  • Use -ConflictAction CreateOrOverwrite to update existing reports.
  • For automation, use service principals (App registration in Azure AD).
  • This method works for Power BI Pro and Power BI Premium workspaces.



From Blogger iPhone client

Microsoft power bi vs Tableau relative comparison

Great question — both Microsoft Power BI and Tableau are top-tier business intelligence (BI) tools, but Power BI has some clear advantages, especially for organizations already within the Microsoft ecosystem or focused on cost efficiency and scalability.


Here’s a detailed comparison highlighting Power BI’s advantages over Tableau 👇





⚙️ 1. 

Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem



Advantage: Seamless connectivity with Microsoft products


  • Power BI tightly integrates with Excel, Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Teams, making it ideal for organizations using Microsoft technologies.
  • Users can easily import data from Excel, share dashboards through Teams, and leverage Azure Synapse or SQL Server for data storage and processing.
  • Example: Finance teams can directly publish Excel-based models into Power BI with one click.






💰 2. 

Cost and Licensing



Advantage: Significantly cheaper than Tableau for most deployments


  • Power BI Pro: ~$10/user/month
  • Power BI Premium: starts at ~$20/user/month (or capacity-based)
  • Tableau Creator: ~$70/user/month
  • Tableau Server/Cloud pricing also adds cost complexity.
  • Impact: Power BI is far more cost-effective for organizations with many report viewers or casual users.






🧩 3. 

Ease of Use (especially for Excel users)



Advantage: Familiar and easy learning curve


  • Power BI’s interface and DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) are intuitive for Excel power users.
  • Tableau requires users to learn its visualization grammar and interface, which can be less familiar.
  • Result: Faster adoption and reduced training costs.






☁️ 4. 

Cloud Integration and Governance



Advantage: Deep integration with Azure Active Directory and Microsoft Fabric


  • Power BI provides built-in identity, access, and data governance through AAD and Microsoft Purview.
  • Power BI integrates natively into Microsoft Fabric, providing unified data engineering, data science, and BI on a single platform.
  • Result: Simplified governance and security in cloud or hybrid environments.






🔗 5. 

Data Connectivity and Real-Time Analytics



Advantage: Extensive connectors and native streaming capabilities


  • Power BI offers native connectors to hundreds of sources (SQL, Azure, SharePoint, Dynamics, Salesforce, Google Analytics, etc.).
  • It supports DirectQuery and real-time dashboards out of the box — ideal for IoT, operations, or monitoring use cases.
  • Example: Live dashboards for call center performance or manufacturing KPIs.






📊 6. 

AI and Advanced Analytics



Advantage: Built-in AI and natural language capabilities


  • Power BI integrates with Azure Machine Learning and Copilot for Power BI (AI assistant for report creation).
  • Natural language querying (“Q&A” feature) lets users ask questions in plain English.
  • Tableau requires external setup for similar AI functionality.
  • Result: Easier access to predictive analytics and automated insights.






🧑‍💻 7. 

Developer and Enterprise Features



Advantage: Strong API, embedding, and governance options


  • Power BI Embedded allows seamless integration of reports into custom applications or portals.
  • Strong version control and deployment pipelines for large enterprises.
  • Example: Developers can embed dashboards in internal or customer-facing apps using Power BI APIs with minimal effort.






🌍 8. 

Community and Continuous Updates



Advantage: Rapid monthly updates and large user base


  • Microsoft releases monthly updates to Power BI Desktop and Service.
  • Huge user community with free tutorials, templates, and DAX resources.
  • Result: Faster feature growth and community-driven innovation.






Summary Table


Feature / Category

Power BI Advantage

Tableau

Microsoft integration

✅ Excellent

⚪ Moderate

Pricing

✅ Lower

❌ Higher

Ease of use

✅ Easier (Excel-like)

⚪ Steeper learning curve

Real-time analytics

✅ Native support

⚪ Add-ons required

AI and ML

✅ Integrated (Copilot, Azure ML)

⚪ Limited built-in

Cloud & governance

✅ AAD, Purview, Fabric

⚪ Manual setup

Updates & innovation

✅ Monthly

⚪ Quarterly

Enterprise scalability

⚪ Very strong (Premium)

✅ Also strong

Custom visualizations

⚪ Slightly fewer






🧠 In Short:



Choose Power BI if you want:


  • Seamless integration with Microsoft products
  • Lower total cost of ownership
  • Easier user adoption and governance
  • AI-assisted insights and rapid development



Choose Tableau if you need:


  • More design flexibility and visual polish
  • Cross-platform neutrality (non-Microsoft stack)
  • Deeper control over visualization aesthetics



From Blogger iPhone client

Benefits

Working for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) in the USA can offer several benefits, including:


1. **Job Stability**: As a government agency, FDACS provides a stable and secure work environment, with positions that are less susceptible to economic downturns compared to the private sector.


2. **Competitive Compensation**: FDACS offers competitive salaries, particularly when considering the cost of living in Florida. Additionally, employees may receive salary increases based on performance, tenure, or promotions.


3. **Comprehensive Benefits**: Employees typically receive a benefits package that includes:

  - Health, dental, and vision insurance.

  - Retirement plans through the Florida Retirement System (FRS), which includes both a pension and investment plan option.

  - Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

  - Life insurance and disability benefits.


4. **Work-Life Balance**: Government jobs like those at FDACS often emphasize work-life balance. Employees typically work standard hours and can benefit from flexible schedules, including options for remote work or telecommuting, depending on the position.


5. **Professional Development**: FDACS offers training programs, workshops, and educational opportunities to help employees advance in their careers. Many government agencies prioritize ongoing employee development and may even offer tuition assistance for further education.


6. **Public Service Impact**: Working for FDACS provides the opportunity to contribute to the state's agricultural industry, food safety, and consumer protection, helping ensure the health and well-being of Florida’s residents.


7. **Job Diversity**: FDACS offers a wide range of career opportunities in various fields, such as agriculture, forestry, food inspection, law enforcement, consumer protection, and environmental services, making it appealing to people with different skill sets and career goals.


8. **Networking Opportunities**: Working within a government agency can offer chances to collaborate with other state agencies, local governments, private industry, and community organizations, broadening professional connections.


These benefits make FDACS an attractive option for those seeking a career with purpose, security, and growth potential.

From Blogger iPhone client

Machine Vision detecting paint issues and defects

open-source libraries, toolkits, and projects you can use (or build on) to detect paint issues (defects, variability, etc.) in images. Depending on whether you need classical image processing vs deep learning vs segmentation vs anomaly detection, some are more suitable than others. I’ll also mention pros/cons and what sort of paint issue they might help with.



Name

Description / Use-Cases

Strengths

Limitations / Challenges

OpenCV

A classic computer vision library in C++/Python. Useful for filtering, edge detection, thresholding, morphological ops, color segmentation, etc. It’s a good baseline for detecting scratches, blotches, unevenness or color defects. 

Very mature; many tutorials; works in real-time; small models; lots of control.

Classical methods often fragile under variable lighting, texture, reflections. May require heavy tuning; less effective for subtle defects or where you need localization or segmentation.

Mahotas

Python library for traditional image processing (filters, morphology, feature descriptors). 

Fast, C++ under the hood; good for prototyping; integrates well with scientific workflows.

Not focused on deep learning; might struggle with high-level defects; no built-in object detection or segmentation for complex scenarios.

VIGRA (Vision with Generic Algorithms)

C++ (with Python binding) library for customizable vision algorithms. Useful when you need high performance and precise control. 

Efficiency; template-based; good for lower-level image processing where you have strong domain control.

Less “out-of-the-box” deep learning / modern segmentation/detection pipelines; steeper learning curve; fewer pre-trained models.

ilastik

Interactive machine learning / segmentation / classification toolkit. Useful when you want to label parts of images (e.g. areas with paint peeling, cracks, discoloration) and do segmentation. 

Very user-friendly; rapid iteration; GUI for non-experts; works well with small annotated datasets; able to do pixel-wise segmentation.

Might not scale to very large datasets or real-time on large images; for subtle defects, might require good annotation; not always ideal for production deployment without customization.

Kornia

Differentiable computer vision library built on PyTorch; includes routines for geometric transforms, filtering, edge detection, image augmentation etc. Useful if you want to build parts of your pipeline as differentiable modules (e.g. embed in a neural network). 

Seamless integration with deep learning frameworks; useful for creating custom losses, augmentations; modern.

Using deep learning increases complexity; you’ll need data, correct training; more overhead; may need GPU etc.

Anomalib (via OpenMMLab / other anomaly detection libraries)

Although I didn’t find a clean citation above for “paint issues,” anomaly detection libraries are very relevant when you mostly have “good” paint surfaces and want to spot “abnormal” defects (scratches, pits, spots etc.).

You can train with “normal” examples and detect anomalies; less labeling effort for defect classes; good for rare/unpredictable defects.

Hard to detect subtle anomalies if they are similar to normal texture; false positives; need well-controlled imaging, consistent lighting; deployment may need calibration.






Specific Projects / Datasets



  • Defect_detector (GitHub: AhmadCodes/defect_detector): A library + GUI for defect detection in images/videos using multiple methods (edge detection, background subtraction, thresholding, object detection). Could be a good starting point.  
  • ARTDET: Open-source tool built on Mask R-CNN for detecting deterioration/damage in paintings. Useful for paint defects if you treat paint issues as “damage” (peeling, cracks, loss). Offers pixel-level segmentation.  
  • A study “Smart System to Detect Painting Defects in Shipyards” (Appl. Sci., 2022) that implements Vision AI and deep learning for paint defect detection in real shipyard environment. Could be informative for domain adaptations, lighting, real-world constraints.  






What to Consider: What vs How



To pick which library / approach is best, think about:


  1. Type of defects you need to detect (e.g. color inconsistency, paint runs, sags, orange peel texture, scratches, corrosion under paint, rust, peeling, bubbling, etc.). Some are structural (shape, elevation), some are purely appearance (color, gloss, reflections).
  2. Image capture setup: lighting control, resolution, reflections, angle, consistency. Paint tends to be reflective; shadows/reflections can look like defects.
  3. Data available: Do you have lots of images with and without defects? Is there segmentation (pixel-level) data or only “good/bad” labels?
  4. Real-time vs offline: On a production line you might need fast inference; that may push you toward lighter models or even classical methods if acceptable.
  5. Annotation cost: Pixel segmentation is more expensive to label than bounding boxes; anomaly detection needs fewer defect samples but may have higher false positives.
  6. Evaluation metrics: false positives vs false negatives cost; tolerances; how precise the detection must be.



From Blogger iPhone client

Microsoft Power BI Best practice connecting to semantic data layer

Great question — this comes up often when teams are modernizing their Power BI semantic models and don’t want to rebuild reports every time the model changes. The “ideal way” depends on how often your model changes and how much stability you want to give report authors.


Here are some best-practice approaches:





🔑 1. Use a 

Shared Dataset / Semantic Model in Power BI Service



  • Publish your model once as a Power BI dataset (semantic model) in the Service.
  • Build reports off that shared dataset instead of embedding the model inside each PBIX.
  • When the model is updated and republished, all reports connected to it automatically see the new version (assuming field names/measures stay consistent).
  • This avoids the need to touch each report individually.






🔑 2. Use 

Thin Reports



  • Keep reports “thin” (no imported data, only visuals + connections to the shared dataset).
  • Users or developers only work on visuals; the model lives centrally.
  • If the semantic model is updated (new measures, columns, relationships), reports immediately benefit.
  • If a field is renamed/removed, only the visuals depending on it need fixing.






🔑 3. Manage Schema Changes with 

Stable Layering



  • To reduce breakage:
  • Maintain consistent field names and measure names across versions of the model.
  • If you must change something, create calculated columns or measures that act as aliases for old names.
  • Keep a semantic abstraction layer where changes in the source are hidden behind stable, user-facing measures.






🔑 4. Use 

Deployment Pipelines



  • If you manage Dev/Test/Prod, use deployment pipelines in Power BI Service.
  • Push updated versions of the dataset through environments while validating before production.
  • Reports remain linked and stable.






🔑 5. Consider 

Dataflows + Composite Models



  • If source schema changes frequently, you can decouple transformation (dataflows) from the semantic model.
  • The dataflow maintains schema stability, while the semantic model builds on top.
  • Reports then depend only on the semantic model, not raw sources.





✅ Recommended Ideal Setup:


  • Publish a centralized dataset (semantic model) in Power BI Service.
  • Keep reports as thin clients.
  • Use stable naming conventions in the model, and handle source changes in dataflows or a staging layer.
  • Use deployment pipelines if you have multiple environments.



This way, when a new semantic model is published, users don’t need to update reports — only the dataset is swapped or versioned.




Do you want me to sketch a step-by-step migration flow (from report-embedded models → shared semantic model → version upgrades) so you can apply it in your environment?


From Blogger iPhone client

Airport security solutions

8

IDEMIA is a French technology company that develops innovative identity-related security solutions, specializing in biometrics and cryptography for governments and businesses. Their technologies are used in areas like national security, border control, public safety, and secure payment services, aiming to make life safer and more efficient through AI-powered solutions for identity verification, travel, and digital transactions.  


Key Offerings and Services

  • Biometric Identification: IDEMIA provides biometric identification products and software, including facial recognition and fingerprint technology, used for authentication and access control. 
  • Digital Identity: They offer solutions for issuing and managing secure identity documents, such as driver's licenses and government IDs, and enable remote identity proofing and mobile identity solutions. 
  • Secure Transactions: IDEMIA's Secure Transactions division focuses on building the technology behind secure payments, including eSIM solutions and card-related services. 
  • Travel and Border Control: They provide biometric solutions for airports and other transport hubs to streamline passenger journeys, from check-in to border clearance. 
  • Public Security: Their technologies support law enforcement and justice systems with AI-driven algorithms for tasks like video analytics and multibiometric identification. 

Core Technologies and Focus Areas

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is central to their solutions, powering algorithms for person and object recognition, enhancing security, and improving the efficiency of systems. 
  • Cryptography: In addition to biometrics, IDEMIA develops cryptographic technologies to protect data and secure transactions. 
  • Global Presence: The company has a global reach, operating in over 180 countries and providing solutions that cater to both public and enterprise sectors. 


From Blogger iPhone client

Types of Microsoft Power Bi Connections

Power BI has two main types of data connectivity: Import (copying data into Power BI) and DirectQuery (querying data directly from the source), along with Live Connection (to specific Power BI and Analysis Services datasets) and Composite Models, which combine these approaches. Choosing the right connection type depends on factors like data volume, the need for real-time data, data modeling capabilities, and report performance. 

Here's a breakdown of each connection type: 


1. Import Mode

  • How it works: Data is copied and stored directly within the Power BI report, allowing for efficient data model creation and transformations using Power Query. 
  • Pros: Fast query performance, comprehensive Power Query transformation capabilities, and full access to data modeling. 
  • Cons: Requires scheduled refresh for data to be updated, can consume significant storage, and may not be suitable for very large datasets. 
  • Best for: Most scenarios where data doesn't need to be completely real-time and a manageable amount of data is involved. 

2. DirectQuery Mode

  • How it works: Power BI sends queries directly to the external data source to retrieve data in real-time. 
  • Pros: Supports large datasets, provides near real-time data, and requires less storage in Power BI. 
  • Cons: Performance depends on the source database, Power Query transformations are limited, and data modeling capabilities are restricted. 
  • Best for: Situations requiring near real-time data or when dealing with massive datasets that cannot be imported. 

3. Live Connection Mode 

  • How it works: Creates a live connection to a specific Power BI dataset or Analysis Services tabular model, without importing data into Power BI Desktop. 
  • Pros: Leverages existing, complex models and DAX measures created in the source, and supports large data models. 
  • Cons: No access to Power Query for data transformation, and report performance is dependent on the underlying Analysis Services model. 
  • Best for: Connecting to established, robust data models in Power BI or Analysis Services, allowing for consistent data and logic across multiple reports. 

4. Composite Model

  • How it works: A hybrid approach that allows you to combine data from different connection modes (Import, DirectQuery, and Live Connection) within a single data model. 
  • Pros: Offers a flexible way to combine the benefits of different connection types. 
  • Cons: Can introduce complexity and requires careful consideration of model design to ensure performance. 
  • Best for: Scenarios where you need to integrate data from both real-time sources (DirectQuery) and static datasets (Import) in one model. 

5. DirectLake (Newer Mode) 

  • How it works: An optimization for Azure Synapse Analytics and Fabric, it allows DirectQuery to read directly from the underlying data in the data lake, offering high performance with large volumes of data. 
  • Pros: Improved performance for large datasets with near real-time data. 
  • Cons: Limited to specific data sources and platforms. 
  • Best for: Large-scale data warehousing and analytics scenarios, leveraging the data lake for speed.


From Blogger iPhone client

Aircraft paint

https://youtube.com/shorts/fG54pi5tFQo?si=LWTARae0hIkcQi2O

From Blogger iPhone client

Stocks


Here’s a summary of what I found on Artrya Ltd (ASX: AYA) — current price, financials, and my thoughts on timing. This isn’t investment advice, but should help you make a more informed decision.





Key Data & Current Price







Balance Sheet & Financial Health



Here are some important points from the most recent financial reports:


  • Total Assets: ~AUD 23.68 million in FY2025.  
  • Total Liabilities: ~AUD 2.39 million.  
  • Debt: Very low. Debt is small in relation to assets; the company is using equity / cash more than debt.  
  • Cash Flow from Operations: Negative, in the order of –AUD 14-15 million in the latest period. That means cash is being burned.  
  • Cash on Hand / Liquidity: The cash reserves are modest; the company has been raising capital (including placements) to fund growth and expansion.  






Valuation & Analyst Views



  • One analyst target places a 12-month price target at AUD 3.06 per share. That would imply ~40% upside from the current price.  
  • But there are warnings: with very little revenue, large losses, and dilution risk (because of recent and expected capital raises), some models (discounted cash flow etc.) suggest the current price may be overvalued relative to intrinsic value.  
  • Indeed, one analysis reduced its valuation estimate to ~$3.06 from ~$3.48 due to dilution and rising costs.  






What Looks Good / What’s Risky



Strengths:


  • Innovative product in AI for coronary artery disease; has regulatory clearances (e.g. FDA for some modules) which is a positive signal.  
  • Good balance sheet in terms of liabilities: low debt, which gives it more flexibility.  
  • Strong upside potential if the company can convert regulatory wins + product adoption into revenue. Also, recent capital raising suggests belief (by investors) in growth potential.  



Risks:


  • Very low revenue now; losses are large and cash burn is high. That means the company must grow quickly or else more dilution / capital raises may be needed.
  • Valuation is high relative to its current earnings and book value; the market seems to be pricing in a lot of future success. If growth doesn’t accelerate, the downside risk is non-trivial.
  • Dilution risk: recent placements / equity raises can reduce value per share for existing shareholders.  






When Might It Be a “Good Time to Buy”?



Putting together the above, here are some thoughts on timing. Again, depends on how much risk you’re willing to take.


  • If you are optimistic on the long-term prospects (product adoption, US expansion, regulatory approvals, etc.), then buying now could capture potential upside, especially if the company executes well. The current price is high but part of that reflects future potential.
  • A more conservative route would be to wait for evidence of revenue growth (e.g. quarterly reports showing sales climbing and losses narrowing) before committing more capital.
  • Another trigger could be major contract wins or partnerships, especially in the US or other large markets, or successful results from studies (e.g. the “SAPPHIRE” study referenced in some materials) that validate the technology.
  • Also, watch for dilution events: if a share issue is coming at a discount, waiting could avoid buying ahead of that and suffering from dilution.






My View



If I were you and interested in Artrya:


  • I’d say it’s high-risk, high-reward. There is real potential, but everything hinges on execution — getting revenue, managing cash, scaling well.
  • I think the risk/reward might be more favorable if the price dips somewhat (maybe due to short-term negatives) or after some negative event (like a weaker quarter) when expectations are scaled back. Those dips often provide better entry points.
  • If you believe strongly in their AI tech and think the industry tailwinds (healthcare, AI, diagnostic/AI tools) are in their favor, then some exposure seems reasonable — but keep it modest unless results improve.





If you like, I can run a scenario analysis (best case / mid / worst case) for Artrya with projected outcomes, to help you see what price targets might be realistic under different conditions. Do you want me to do that?




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Erwin vs ER Studio

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ER/Studio is enterprise-grade software developed by Idera, Inc. for data architecture and database design. It helps organizations create, manage, document, and reuse data assets by enabling business-driven data modeling and providing features for data governance, collaboration, and integration with other tools. The software supports various database platforms and architectural approaches, including Data Mesh and Lakehouses, and features a central model repository for shared access and knowledge management.  


Key Features and Capabilities

  • Enterprise Data Modeling: ER/Studio provides comprehensive logical and physical data modeling capabilities to design and understand database landscapes. 
  • Data Governance: It integrates with data governance tools like Microsoft Purview and Collibra, enabling automated connections to cataloging, lineage, and compliance workflows. 
  • Collaboration: A central model repository allows multiple users to collaborate on modeling projects, share data assets, and enforce organizational standards. 
  • Round-trip Engineering: The software supports reverse-engineering, analyzing, and optimizing existing databases from various platforms. 
  • Platform Support: It is compatible with a wide range of database platforms, including cloud environments like Snowflake and Databricks. 
  • Architectural Support: ER/Studio is built to support modern approaches, including Data Mesh, Data Vaults, Medallion Architectures, and Lakehouses. 
  • Knowledge Management: The central repository stores metadata, facilitating knowledge transfer between business and technical stakeholders and managing version control. 

How it Works

  1. Discovery and Documentation: Users can catalog existing data sources and track data lineage across different platforms. 
  2. Modeling: ER/Studio facilitates the creation of both logical and physical data models. 
  3. Collaboration: Teams can work together in the model repository, checking out and checking in model portions for collaborative development. 
  4. Governance: Models are integrated with data governance processes, ensuring consistency and compliance. 
  5. Reusability: Common data elements and modeling components can be defined, standardized, and reused across projects, reducing redundancy. 


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