Denodo

Overview

Denodo 9.5 marks the culmination of the vendor’s transition from pure virtualisation technology to a comprehensive Logical Data Management platform. The aim is to move beyond the constraints of physically moving data (the traditional ETL/ELT approach) in order to offer an agile, secure and unified architecture.

Logical Architecture and Optimisation

At the heart of the solution lies the creation of a logical abstraction layer on top of the data ecosystem (cloud, on-premises, SaaS, data lakes). The fundamental principle is based on decoupling the physical location and original format on the one hand, and consumption on the other. To compensate for the lack of physical movement, Denodo uses an intelligent, cost-based query optimiser and a next-generation massively parallel processing (MPP) engine. This engine pushes computation directly as close as possible to the sources, minimising network traffic and transfer costs. Connectivity is extended to expose data as required via standard protocols (SQL, REST, GraphQL) or high-performance protocols such as Apache Arrow / Flight SQL for the world of data science.

Key New Features in Version 9.x

The platform has been extensively modernised to address two key areas of contemporary IT:

• The integration of Generative AI and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation): Denodo positions itself as the trusted data feed layer for LLMs. The platform enables the application of the organisation’s data masking and security policies before information is fed into the model, ensuring compliance and minimising hallucinations. Furthermore, business users can now query the catalogue using natural language.

• Business unit autonomy (Self-Service): Advanced graphical tools enable analysts to prepare, combine and enrich data independently, without the need for advanced SQL skills. The data catalogue is transformed into a business-semantics-driven data marketplace, enhanced by AI-assisted data recommendations.

• Technical Foundation and Modernisation: The platform now runs on Java 17 and Apache Tomcat 10.x, enhancing resilience and native security (with double the base memory allocation). The platform also includes native connectivity optimised for the Lakehouse’s open table formats (Iceberg, Delta Lake, Parquet).

Component Ecosystem

The solution is based on specialised, interoperable modules:

• The execution engine (Virtual DataPort) handles federation, query optimisation and the enforcement of security policies.

• The modelling environment (Design Studio) enables architects to design logical models and track traceability (lineage).

• The consumer interface (Data Catalogue) provides business users with seamless access to search for, document and test data products.

• The cross-functional modules (Scheduler and Solution Manager) handle task scheduling (such as cache refreshes) and overall infrastructure governance (multi-environment deployments, cluster management and licence management), respectively.

Recommended Use Cases

Denodo 9.5 is particularly well-suited to the implementation of distributed Data Mesh architectures, where each business unit exposes its own data products in a governed manner. It is also a key enabler for cloud migration projects and the modernisation of legacy architectures (such as the migration of legacy systems): the logical layer acts as a buffer, hiding the switch in physical infrastructure from end users to ensure a transition without any service disruption. Finally, it excels at hybrid real-time analytics by instantly cross-referencing live application data streams (SaaS) with historical data.

How to use

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DENODO PLATFORM

1. Installation and System Requirements

Denodo’s deployment is based on a lightweight architecture that does not require a large amount of storage space, as the data is not replicated.

• Technical prerequisites: The platform runs natively on Java 17 (included in the installer). For a production or advanced test environment, a minimum of 4 vCPUs and 16 to 32 GB of RAM is required, as the Virtual DataPort (VDP) engine consumes a significant portion of this memory by default (JVM heap allocation).

• Deployment process: Installation is carried out using a universal graphical installer or via the command line (silent mode using a .properties file). The administrator loads the licence file (denodo.lic) and selects the key components: the VDP server (virtualisation engine), Design Studio (web modelling tool), the Data Catalogue (business portal) and Solution Manager (cluster and environment manager).

2. Initial Configuration and Security Setup

Once the services have been started (using .sh scripts on Linux or the Control Centre on Windows), the configuration focuses on optimisation and security:

• Access security: The first time you log in to Design Studio, you will use the default administrator credentials, which must be reset immediately. Subsequent logins are then integrated with corporate directory services (LDAP/Active Directory) or identity providers (SAML, OAuth/OIDC).

• Performance tuning: The administrator configures the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) memory allocation and initialises the optimisation engine (MPP/optional local cache) to suit the expected query load.

3. Usage Workflow: From Data Source to Data Product

Denodo’s operation can be summarised as a four-stage lifecycle within the development environment:

• Step 1: Connect (Data Sources) Denodo creates logical pointers without moving the data. The user configures connections (Data Sources) to heterogeneous technologies (relational databases via JDBC, data lakes, REST/GraphQL APIs, cloud files). Introspection of these sources enables the generation of Base Views, which are faithful and semantic representations of the original structures.

• Step 2: Combine (Logical Modelling) Data developers use the Design Studio’s graphical interface to link, merge or transform these Base Views. Using simple drag-and-drop, they create Derived Views that bridge historically separate silos (e.g. linking a CRM customer profile with a purchase history on a data lake). It is at this stage that the organisation’s unified semantic layer is built (renaming fields, pivot formats).

• Step 3: Secure (Centralised Governance) Before any data is distributed, global security rules are applied at the logical layer. Denodo allows you to restrict global access to a table, but also to define granular rules for dynamic data masking (e.g. anonymising a National Insurance number) or row-level security (e.g. a sales representative can only see customers in their geographical region) depending on the role of the logged-in user.

• Step 4: Publish (Multi-protocol consumption) The logical model, now secured, becomes a "data product". Denodo makes it available simultaneously through multiple channels without the need for further development: in standard SQL for business intelligence tools (Power BI, Tableau), as web services (REST/OData/GraphQL APIs) for enterprise applications, or directly in the Data Catalogue where business users can search for, document and export data on a self-service basis.

Support

1. Available Support Levels

Denodo offers a range of maintenance and technical support contracts (Service Level Agreements or SLAs) to suit the criticality of your organisation’s environments. These services are reserved for designated technical contacts (Nominated Technical Contacts) within your organisation.

• Standard Support: Covers local working days (Monday to Friday, usually from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm). It is ideal for development and testing environments, or for non-critical production architectures.

• Premium Support / 24/7: Provides continuous cover 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for critical incidents of the highest severity (e.g. complete outage of the Virtual DataPort server in production).

• Evaluation and training support: Temporary licences (trial versions of the solution) generally come with restricted access or a dedicated email support channel. Community editions (Denodo Express) do not include official paid support.

2. Channels of Communication

Denodo’s support engineering teams are spread across several time zones around the world (the Americas, EMEA, APAC) to ensure continuous monitoring of cases.

• The Web Portal (Denodo Support Site): This is the main and preferred channel. It allows you to open a support request (Service Request – SR), attach log files, track the progress of the ticket and communicate directly with the assigned engineer. Address: https://support.denodo.com

• By telephone: Reserved primarily for critical emergencies (production system failure). Denodo provides dedicated local numbers depending on the region where the licence was purchased:

  • EMEA region (Europe/Africa): (+44) 870 820 0048 (Office hours: 06:00 CEST to 18:00 CEST)
  • France (Paris office): +33 (0)1 82 82 60 41 (For general or commercial enquiries)
  • Americas region: (+1) 800 980 5139

• By email: You can send an email or track open tickets directly via the general email address: support@denodo.com (This does not apply to evaluation or training licences).

3. Documentation and Community Resources

If you do not have an active support contract or if you are looking to learn independently, Denodo offers a comprehensive knowledge management platform through its Denodo Community.

• Official User Manuals: This portal, which is freely accessible, brings together comprehensive technical documentation organised by version (Denodo Platform 9.x, 8.0, etc.). Here you will find installation and administration guides, development tutorials, as well as the complete syntax of the VQL (Virtual Query Language). Access: https://community.denodo.com/docs/

• The Knowledge Base: Integrated into the support site and the community, it contains technical articles written by Denodo experts: solutions to known bugs, specific optimisation guides (e.g. connecting Denodo to Snowflake or SAP), and architectural best practices.

• Q&A Forum: A very active global community support forum where customers, certified partners and Denodo engineers publicly answer technical questions.

• Denodo Academy & Video Tutorials: Training courses (both free and paid) leading to official certifications (Data Architect, Data Developer, Administrator), as well as a library of short, themed video clips.