Data Lake Modernization Using Snowflake: A German Energy Conglomerate’s Journey

In today’s fast-changing business environment, energy companies face an urgent need to modernize their data landscapes. For large enterprises, the challenge is not just about handling massive volumes of data but ensuring that data fuels business agility, real-time decision-making, and compliance with strict operational deadlines.

This case study explores how one of Europe’s largest industrial manufacturing companies—also a major energy conglomerate—tackled its complex data challenges through Snowflake.

The Challenges

Complex Legacy Systems

The organization was running a highly intricate SAP HANA–based data lake. As timelines for exiting its parent group approached, the need for a scalable, future-ready alternative became critical. The question was clear: Could Snowflake serve as a more flexible and reliable platform while ensuring smooth migration?

Migration Risks

Large-scale migration projects are often riddled with risks—especially the risk of missing exit deadlines. The company needed an approach that would accelerate migration while minimizing disruption and ensuring compliance.

Demand for Real-Time Insights

With business-critical operations depending on timely access to SAP data, the enterprise required near real-time reporting capabilities to drive faster, more informed decisions.

The Solution

To address these challenges, the company partnered with LTIMindtree and initiated a structured pilot program. The approach included:

• Smart Migration Strategy: A “lift and shift” migration of SAP HANA objects—tables, procedures, and functions—using LTIMindtree’s proprietary PolarSled accelerator to achieve speed and efficiency.

• Real-Time Replication: Integration of SAP ECC data with Snowflake through near real-time replication powered by HVR.

• Comprehensive Assessment: A detailed technical report identifying existing pain points, platform gaps, and required interventions to align the new platform with business needs.

• Automation at Scale: More than 70% of migration was automated, reducing manual effort and risk.

Key Outcomes

The results of this modernization journey highlight the tangible benefits of adopting Snowflake:

• Rapid Migration: A profit center accounting application was fully migrated within just four weeks.

• Accuracy and Trust: Achieved a 100% data match between SAP HANA and Snowflake using the SmartValidate framework.

• Agility and Scalability: The enterprise successfully transitioned its data lake to Snowflake, establishing a flexible cloud-based foundation for future growth.

• Future-Ready Platform: Snowflake was validated as the ideal platform to meet both immediate deadlines and long-term enterprise data strategies.

Why This Matters

For enterprises in energy and beyond, the shift from legacy systems to modern cloud platforms is no longer optional—it is critical for survival. The case demonstrates how an accelerated, automation-driven approach can eliminate migration risks, improve data accuracy, and deliver near real-time insights.

But the real question is: How can your organization replicate this success?

Unlock the Full Story

This case study provides deeper insights into the methodologies, tools, and frameworks that enabled one of Europe’s largest companies to achieve seamless data modernization.

Download now to learn more about the strategy, execution, and outcomes of this transformation.