If you think Big Data isn’t an important enough deal to consider, you need to look around you and learn from businesses that are harnessing data to make more profits. We can’t point out one or two industries as this is happening in every industry that you can think of. However, it is always good to know how to enter the Big Data bandwagon without being found wanting.

To make the most of the possibilities and opportunities that the field has to offer, you need to take time to understand how the modern Data Architecture works and how it can be used to turn the massive amount of raw data available at our disposal into actionable insights. 

You need to know that Data Architecture is the basis on which you will be preparing your data strategy in the future. So it wouldn’t do anyone any harm to understand how data moves between individuals and groups and then reaches data-based projects to deliver insights. Your first step in this direction should be to understand the role of a Data Architect and how hiring this professional can help you make data more useful. If you are a beginner and interested to learn more about data science, check out our data analytics certification from top universities.

It is also great for professionals who are willing to take this career path to know how fruitful their decision can be. We will discuss Data Architect salaries later in the blog. Our focus at the start will be to understand Data Architecture.

What is Data Architecture?

In simple words, Data Architecture is nothing but a standard process that organisations follow for collecting, storing, modifying, using, and distributing data. The objective of following this process is to make relevant data available to people who need it, at the time they need so that they can make more sense out of it.

In the past, if a data strategist working at an organisation needed data for whatever purpose, they asked the IT team to provide it to them. The IT team then built a system to make available that data. More often than not, the strategist got something that they didn’t need and could do nothing with. It was a time-consuming process that didn’t fulfil expectations.

No wonder business strategies created by using data at that time were so limited in scope. Data is now available to us from more sources than one, and this is helping strategists to get faster insights from data, which they can put to work to devise more efficient and profitable business strategies. 

The modern Data Architecture is different from its past versions in the sense that it now brings both technical expertise and strategists on the same platform. They can now work together to determine the kind of data they need to take the business forward, how can they get this data, and how they can use and distribute this data to create actionable insights that decision makers can put to profitable use.

And the cloud has been instrumental in taking Big Data into the actual business world with its ability to the scalability that the Data Architecture of today needs. Businesses can use the cloud and store all their data in one location, which serves as the go-to place for everyone who needs data. 

Read more: Data Warehouse Architecture

Advantages of modern Data Architecture

1. Better integration

Every business needs to collect information from different sources, in order to create more precise insights. An effective Data Architecture, if it can be called that, allows all the business stakeholders to sift through all the data with relative ease. By doing so, they can now use different data sets to choose relevant inputs. A combined Architecture can help businesses to be more innovative as well. With the right data integration strategy in place, you are better equipped to handle data conversion, migration, and connection. 

Read more: Talend Data Integration Architecture & Functional Blocks

2. Diverse data support

When you have a system in place that is capable of working with diverse data types, you are in a better position to make better use of new and robust technologies. Flexibility of the Architecture will allow your team that is managing all the data to convert data into different forms more easily. 

3. Compatibility with dynamic platforms

If you want to fit technologies like Edge and Cloud computing into your systems, you need to have an Architecture that can facilitate this process. If you are able to do this, you will be able to do a lot more with your data than usual. 

Explore our Popular Data Science Courses

4. Easier product evolution

The technology landscape is constantly changing. We are seeing newer and better technologies come up every other day. BigQuery, Redshift, and Azure SQL database are a few examples. This is where your robust Data Architecture comes into play. It supports your technology adaptation efforts. 

5. Improved data storage

Systems based on the cloud make data storage management easier and better than it usually is. Striking a balance between storage and computing is a lot easier now than it used to be.

We have now discussed in detail about what modern Data Architecture is, how it works, and how having it in place helps businesses. We are now moving to the role of Data Architects in all of this. After that we will be discussing Data Architect salaries in India.

Read our popular Data Science Articles

Who is a Data Architect?

Data Architects are professionals that design and manage databases enabling better storage and organization of data. Data Architects first analyze the infrastructure that is currently in place at a company, and then develop strategies to integrate that existing system with one that the company desires in the future. They are also involved in writing code for creating database frameworks that are secure and that can be used by a lot of people. Here are a few responsibilities that a Data Architect fulfills:

Data Architects possess the skills to know the technical specifications behind business requirements. Some of these specifications include data warehouses, data streams, databases, transformations, and integrations.

They are behind the creation of a reference Architecture definition – Something that other employees of a business can use to create better data systems.

They are also very good at coordination and collaboration. We all know that data-based projects involve more than a few parties, including different departments, vendors, stakeholders, and partners. Now the responsibility of making all these parties coordinate better-keeping business objectives in mind rests with the Data Architect. 

Data Architects manage the entire data follow within an organization. They decide who will generate the data, who will put it to work, how data flow will be managed, and how it will change in transition. 

They define everything from Data Architecture and standards to a framework, principles, and everything else, including metadata, reference data, modeling, vendors, employees, and master data. 

Top Data Science Skills to Learn

What skills does a Data Architect have?

Data Architects have undergone intensive training in more areas than one. They have very good programming skills, and they are good in several technologies. In addition, Data Architects are good communicators as well and are good at understanding business insights. They also have an eye for detail.

They won’t let businesses suffer huge losses due to smaller errors like an error in coding. Data Architects develop more business skills with experience. Though experience is an important quality to look for in a Data Architect, one quality that shouldn’t be missed out on is the ability to solve problems in an innovative manner. 

Mostly, Data Architects are leading a team of data engineers, database administrators, and data modelers. They should be able to communicate appropriately with team members with different backgrounds.  Not to mention, they should know about the latest trends and best practices related to data collection, storage, and analysis in their particular industry. 

Read: Data Scientist Salary in India

What organizations do Data Architects mostly work for?

You will find most Data Architects working for firms that are into computer systems design and other related services, including data processing and internet service. Other organizations include those that are a part of the banking and insurance sectors, which have a large amount of client data, both personal and financial, to manage.

Data Architects also work with retail companies and help them keep track of the shipping and credit card information of their buyers. Lastly, you will also see Data Architects in healthcare companies managing patient data. 

Also read: AWS Architect Salary in India

upGrad’s Exclusive Data Science Webinar for you –

Watch our Webinar on How to Build Digital & Data Mindset?

Data Architect salary in India

The average base pay of a Data Architect in India is around Rs. 1,722,000 per annum, which can go as high as Rs. 3,131,000 per annum and as low as Rs. 1,015,000 per annum if the right conditions are not met. The conditions we are talking about here include the place of your employment and the company you are working at. If you are working with a top company, there is no pre-defined salary bar.

Also, if you get a chance to work in one of the metro cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, or Bangalore, things concerned with your salary will again go fine. On the other hand, if there are less favourable conditions, you can expect to earn below the national average. (Data taken from Glassdoor)

Now let’s look at Data Architect salaries in prominent Indian cities. A Data Architect working in New Delhi can expect to get a salary of Rs. 2,456,000 per annum, which is way above the national average. However, in Mumbai, the salary comes down to Rs. 1,496,000 per annum. The salary of a Data Architect in Bangalore will be around Rs. 1,917,000 per annum, which is a little higher than the national average.

If you are in Hyderabad, you will be earning something around Rs. 1,722,000 per annum. In Pune, the salary is really low – Rs, 1,782,000 per annum. Data Architect salary in Chennai is Rs. 1,658,000 per annum (Data taken from Glassdoor)

Now let us look at what Data Architects are paid according to their experience. A Data Architect with 1-4 years of experience earns something in the range of Rs. 884,000 per annum. A Data Architect having an experience of 5-9 years has a salary of around Rs. Rs. 1,496,000 per annum. A highly experienced Data Architect that has been working in this specific position for a time that spans 10-19 years is paid around Rs. 2,077,000 per annum. So it is quite evident that as you gain experience in the field, you can expect to earn higher salaries than professionals with related skills. (Data were taken from Payscale)

What are Data Architect salaries based on specific skills? Data Architects skilled in data modeling, data warehousing, big data analytics, and business intelligence are paid around Rs. 1,835,000 per annum, Rs. 1,868,000 per annum, Rs. 2,017,000 per annum, and Rs. 1,800,000 per annum respectively. (Data were taken from Payscale)

Also read: Python Developer Salary in India

Conclusion

It is quite clear from this discussion that Data Architects are important to every organization that deals with huge amounts of data. This need translates into a great opportunity for people who are willing to take the plunge. You can take online courses to make the most of this opportunity.

If you are curious to learn about data architect, data science, check out IIIT-B & upGrad’s Executive PG Programme in Data Science which is created for working professionals and offers 10+ case studies & projects, practical hands-on workshops, mentorship with industry experts, 1-on-1 with industry mentors, 400+ hours of learning and job assistance with top firms.