Customer data glossary
Warehouse-native customer data platform (CDP)
By Art Kukharenko · Published · Updated
Browse learn glossary resourcesA warehouse-native customer data platform (CDP) runs its profile, segmentation and activation logic directly on the customer's own data warehouse instead of copying data into a separate store.
Part of the Learn hub and the customer data glossary.
What it means in practice
A warehouse-native platform leaves customer data in the customer's warehouse (Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks or similar) and runs profile, audience and activation logic there, rather than ingesting a second copy into a vendor-run store. Depending on the packaging, the vendor's software may run as an application inside the warehouse account or connect to it with delegated access.
Compared with a packaged CDP, it avoids the second copy. Compared with a composable CDP, it is usually one vendor's integrated product rather than separately chosen parts, though the labels overlap.
The benefits: fewer copies to govern, residency that follows the warehouse region, and existing access controls and lineage. The limits: warehouse compute cost, dependence on the warehouse for real-time latency, and trust in the warehouse provider. That provider is still a third party. For financial entities under DORA it is an ICT third-party service provider, defined as "an undertaking providing ICT services" (Article 3(19)).
Example (European insurer): an insurer keeps customer data in an EU warehouse region. A warehouse-native platform reads it there, so no new copy appears in another region or with another processor. The insurer still lists the warehouse provider in its register of information.
Related terms
- Composable customer data platform (CDP): the assembled-parts variant.
- Packaged customer data platform (CDP): the copy-into-vendor model.
- Reverse ETL: a related activation method.
- Data residency: follows the warehouse region.
- Register of information: where the warehouse provider is listed.
Where it matters
- Composable vs packaged vs private customer data platforms: choosing between the models.
- Customer data platform on AWS, Azure and GCP: warehouse reference architectures.
Frequently asked questions
Is warehouse-native the same as composable?
They overlap. Warehouse-native stresses one platform running on the warehouse without copying data; composable stresses assembling separate tools around it. Vendors use both labels loosely.
Does warehouse-native mean data never leaves my account?
Not necessarily. It depends on where the vendor's code runs and what telemetry leaves, and activation still sends data to destinations. Ask where code executes and what is exported.
Does it work on-premise?
Only if your warehouse runs on-premise and the vendor supports it. Many warehouse-native products target cloud warehouses, so verify.
Back to the customer data glossary or the Learn hub.
Further reading
- Customer Data Glossary: 50 Terms
- CDP on AWS, Azure and GCP
- Learn about CDP
- Composable vs Packaged vs Private CDP
- Composable CDP — definition
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