XING SE – Talend Big Data
With cimt, XING processes up to 50 million events per day with Talend, Exasol and MapR – data available within 10 minutes.
Event Streaming
Confluent Consulting and Apache KafkaReal-time data streams for integration, analytics and AI
With our Confluent consulting, you introduce event streaming securely – with Confluent or Apache Kafka, in the cloud or on-premises. We plan your streaming architecture, connect SAP and other systems and ensure stable, compliant operations.
Real time
Data in seconds instead of nightly batches
Kafka & Confluent
Open source or enterprise platform
Cloud & on-prem
Operated where your data lives
ISO 27001
certified information security
Why event streaming
When data cannot wait
Orders, stock movements, sensor data and customer changes are created continuously – yet many systems still exchange them in nightly batches. Event streaming makes every change available immediately to all systems that need it.
Apache Kafka is the industry standard for this, and Confluent extends Kafka with tools for operations, security and governance. In our Confluent consulting, we clarify which option suits your requirements, plan the architecture and support you through introduction and operations.
Use cases
Use cases from our Confluent consulting
Real-time integration of SAP and third-party systems
Pass SAP events, CRM changes or IoT data to all target systems within fractions of a second.
Real-time reporting and monitoring
Continuously up-to-date data for BI systems such as Qlik, Power BI or Tableau – for decisions based on current figures.
Event-driven AI and machine learning
Events trigger ML pipelines and AI agents – for example for forecasts, fraud detection or recommendations.
Data availability and governance
Manage GDPR-compliant processes and role-based access to real-time data centrally.
Modernising legacy systems
Decouple monolithic legacy systems and move them step by step into a modern event architecture.
Omnichannel customer experience
Keep customer interactions across web, app and service in sync – based on consistent event data.
Choosing a platform
Confluent or Apache Kafka?
Many organisations start with Apache Kafka and then reach limits in security, scaling and operational effort. Confluent adds managed services and tools to Kafka. We clarify independently of any vendor what you really need.
Apache Kafka
Open source, flexible and free of licence costs – with more responsibility for operations, security and upgrades.
Confluent
Kafka as a platform with Confluent Cloud, Schema Registry, ksqlDB and integrated security – less operational effort, more convenience.
Our role
In our Confluent consulting, we assess requirements, costs and operating model and plan an architecture that fits your data strategy.
Case studies
Data in motion: projects from practice
OTTO – Big Data Analytics
For OTTO, cimt built a platform based on big data technologies for developing and operating analytical models.
Generali – Generic Data Integration
For Generali, cimt implemented the Talend data integration of the group-wide data platform – from generic ETL strategy to test automation.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Confluent and Kafka
What is Confluent?
Confluent is an event streaming platform based on Apache Kafka. Among other things, it adds Confluent Cloud as a managed service, a Schema Registry, ksqlDB for stream processing and integrated security features to Kafka. In our Confluent consulting, we help you use these building blocks to match your requirements.
Do we need Confluent or is Apache Kafka enough?
That depends on data volumes, security and governance requirements and your operating model. Open source Kafka offers maximum flexibility but requires more in-house operational effort. Confluent reduces this effort. We assess both options for your use case.
What does IBM's acquisition of Confluent mean?
IBM completed the acquisition of Confluent in March 2026. IBM has announced that Confluent will continue as an independent brand within IBM. We advise you independently on your options – from continuing with Confluent to open source Kafka or alternative streaming platforms. You can read our full assessment in our company news on the acquisition.
Can SAP be connected to Kafka?
Yes. Via Kafka, changes from SAP and other ERP systems can be provided as events and passed on in real time to other systems, data platforms or analytics.
How does event streaming fit with data integration and data warehousing?
Event streaming adds real time to classic data integration. Many architectures combine both: streams for time-critical events, batch integration and a data warehouse for analytics. Learn more on our data and analytics page.
How does Confluent consulting with cimt start?
Ideally with a specific data stream that is too slow or too laborious today. In an initial consultation, we clarify sources, targets and the right operating model.
Contact
Let's talk about your data streams
Are you planning event streaming, want to review an existing Kafka or Confluent environment or assess your options after the IBM acquisition? We will get back to you promptly for a free initial consultation.
Contact person
Your contact
Michael Schwarz
Head of Business Enablement & Customer Relations
Note: This text was created or revised with the support of AI.