DataStax unveiled new research findings in "The State of the Data Race 2021" that show how leading organizations are winning with data, and how others can close the gap. Through insights from over 500 technology executives and practitioners, the report reveals clear, proven patterns for success with data among today's "data leaders" - those most likely to excel at using data to deliver value to customers.

Chief among the report's findings is that leading data-driven enterprises are leaning into open source software (OSS) - they are four times more likely to have deployed Apache Cassandra®, Kubernetes, along with a combination of other select open source tools, with 71% of data leaders believing a robust OSS data stack gives them a big competitive advantage. Consistent with making the most of the cloud while preserving flexibility, nearly all (97%) are building a hybrid data infrastructure.

And while nearly all - 96% - of respondents indicated that they have some level of a data strategy, only 38% of enterprises gave themselves the top grades when it comes to using data to create value for customers.

"Organizations undoubtedly understand the importance of data, but according to our research, many of them are still looking for ways to transform into truly data-driven enterprises. Those that already have - are winning," explains Bryan Kirschner, vice president of strategy for DataStax. "Organizations that make smart investments in the right data stack, open source technologies and hybrid cloud have the opportunity to change their trajectory and find new paths to innovation and revenue growth."

"This research reinforces what we're hearing from customers every day: that a hybrid cloud strategy is key to success for companies that want to excel at using data to drive revenue and customer value," said Dain Hansen, director, product marketing for Database, Analytics, and Business Application Platform at Google. "DataStax is focused on helping businesses use and deliver data with flexibility, agility and openness - leaning into the benefits of open source software, Kubernetes, and hybrid cloud. We are excited to partner with DataStax as they continue to empower organizations to unlock the value of their data."

Key takeaways from the report include:

• Open source software plays an important role in the success of these leading organizations: Leading organizations are 4x more likely to have deployed Apache Cassandra®, Kubernetes, and two of the following open source tools: Apache Spark, Apache Pulsar, Apache Kafka, and Elasticsearch. Organizations that have a robust open source data stack are twice as likely to drive at least 20% of revenue with data and analytics.
• Data leaders make the most out of the cloud while preserving flexibility: 97% of respondents are building a hybrid data structure, with two-thirds feeling this "strongly" describes the organization's direction.
• Modernized data infrastructure provides a competitive advantage: 71% of the leaders confirmed this to be true, with more than half of those respondents characterizing it as a "big advantage."
• Successful data-driven organizations have assigned accountability for data governance to business leaders: Assigning line of business accountability for data governance and aligning tech infrastructure to data strategy triples the chances that a company drives at least 20% of revenue with data and analytics.
• COVID-19 has driven positive change at an overwhelming majority of the top organizations: Nearly nine out of 10 (88%) of leading companies agreed that adapting to the new market realities caused by the pandemic has increased their pace of innovation.

Download "The State of the Data Race 2021" report to learn more about the differing data maturity levels of companies today and key advice on what enterprises can do to level-up and keep pace with leading data-driven organizations.