Customer Story

How the Australian Ocean Data Network upskilled an entire data team in cloud-native geospatial – and unlocked data pipeline improvements in the process

A tailored hybrid training programme helped AODN unify technical understanding across its data team, and turn that alignment into real improvements in cloud-native data pipelines.

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Cross-functional team members trained

Across engineering, data management, and geospatial roles within AODN.

5 modules

Full cloud-native stack covered

From STAC and data discovery to formats, processing, and applied workflows.

5/5

Participant satisfaction

Described as one of the best technical courses attended by participants.

Challenge Solution Results Participant voices Business impact

The Challenge

Growing data volumes, a fragmented baseline, and the need for shared language

Client: Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN)

AODN, part of Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), sits at the heart of Australia’s marine data ecosystem, serving researchers, scientists, and government agencies with terabytes of ocean and climate data.

Why this mattered

The AODN team needed a shared understanding of cloud-native geospatial concepts to support the transition of their data pipelines to formats like Zarr and Parquet – enabling more consistent decisions around data structure, performance, and scalability.

“

I'm excited to see the impact of this training take shape. The team is already having richer, more informed conversations about how to make our products better and our processing pipelines more performant. thriveGEO's Cloud-Native Geospatial 101 is a unique offering - exactly what we needed to bring everyone to the same level and leave them ready to act.

Benedicte Pasquer · Product Manager, IMOS Australian Ocean Data Network

As data volumes grew and user demands evolved, the AODN team had a growing need to transition data production pipelines to cloud-optimised formats like Zarr and Parquet and adopt cloud-native workflows at scale.

But modernisation requires more than tooling – it requires a shared language. The AODN team spanned software engineering, data management, and geospatial roles. Each member brought deep domain expertise, yet the team lacked a unified baseline understanding of cloud-native geospatial concepts. Without it, conversations around workflow design, format selection, and optimisation strategies were difficult to anchor.

The Solution

A two-week hybrid training built around AODN's own data

thriveGEO designed and delivered a bespoke two-week hybrid training programme – a carefully paced blend of self-directed online learning modules and live instructor-led practical sessions. Rather than using generic datasets, the team adapted the exercises to AODN's own data, ensuring that participants learned new concepts through a lens they already understood.

Structured learning pathway

A progressive curriculum guided participants from core concepts to applied cloud-native workflows.

Data discovery & formats in practice

Hands-on modules covered STAC, cloud-optimised formats, and key concepts like chunking and partitioning.

Applied technical workflows

Participants worked with tools like xarray, Dask, and DuckDB to explore real-world data processing.

Capstone application

Each participant applied their learning directly to AODN datasets – bridging theory and operational impact.

The Results

A shared foundation and the conversations that follow

The training achieved its primary goal: the entire AODN team now shares a common, robust understanding of cloud-native geospatial concepts. That alignment has already begun to pay dividends. With a shared vocabulary and a common conceptual framework, the team can now have more productive, more precise internal conversations about how to evolve AODN's data products.

Stronger confidence in cloud-native practice

Before

1 / 5

After

5 / 5

New technical capability

Participants built practical experience with STAC, Zarr, GeoParquet, xarray + Dask, and DuckDB – applying these technologies directly to AODN’s own datasets.

Applied innovation

The training surfaced concrete opportunities to improve AODN’s data pipelines, including a redesign of Parquet partitioning to better reflect how data is accessed and queried.

Participant Voices

In their own words

Feedback highlighted both the accessibility of the teaching and the value of applying concepts through hands-on work.

“ ”

One of the best

I think it was one of the best, if not the best, technical course I've ever attended.

“ ”

Richer team conversations

The team is already having richer, more informed conversations about how to make our products better and our processing pipelines more performant.

BUSINESS Impact

From training to data production pipeline improvements

By aligning a cross-functional data team around a shared cloud-native geospatial foundation, AODN created the conditions to modernise its data pipelines with greater speed, clarity, and confidence.

Shared technical foundation

All 8 team members – across software engineering, data management, and geospatial roles – now operate from a common cloud-native baseline, enabling faster, more precise technical decision-making.

Accelerated data pipeline evolution

The training directly triggered a review of AODN’s Parquet partitioning strategy – now an active workstream to improve query performance and downstream data delivery.

Applied innovation in workflows

With hands-on experience across Zarr, Parquet, STAC, xarray + Dask, and DuckDB, the team is already identifying and implementing improvements to existing data pipelines.

Reduced knowledge fragmentation

Aligning the full team eliminated siloed understanding, reduced technical bottlenecks, and strengthened organisational resilience as cloud-native approaches become central to AODN’s roadmap.

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Looking for similar results in your own team?

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