Sumo Logic is still what you’d consider a startup, but already its demonstrated some useful life lessons for applying ideas to the big data industry, including the concept of harnessing the right talent.  Specializing in log data analytics, Sumo Logic emerged from stealth earlier this year to take on heavyweights like Splunk with a penchant for Google-style data mining.  And just this week the data company released a free edition of its core offering, giving admin a tasty dose of all they have to offer.

But even in this short time, with a noteworthy debut and enticing updates, Sumo Logic has undergone a few necessary changes to ensure the right team for growing this startup. Brining on an all-star advisory board including famed data scientist DJ Patil, Sumo Logic also hired a new CEO to lead the company into the next phase of a still-emerging big data sector.  To be successful in this space you need visionaries like co-founder Kumar Saurabh, who joins us for today’s Snapshot Series.  As the former interim CEO of Sumo Logic, Saurabh discusses the special skills needed to lead a big data company, the excitement this industry holds for his team, and even shares the secret behind his love for the West Coast.

What’s it like to be a top tech startup in North America?

Everyday is like living a dream. It’s hard work, and even painful at times, but I learn something new in every moment. It is such a tremendous blessing to be working on something that matters, and can fundamentally change the way people expect IT analytics to work. I work with an incredible team, and they are more than just colleagues. We are friends who are on this journey together, whether we are celebrating or growing, we are supporting each other.

See the entire CEO Series with Kristen Nicole on Pinterest and Springpad!

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You’ve brought in new advisors and CEO – what special leadership skills are needed for a big data startup?

Leaders must be able to envision the possibilities that Big Data brings to our space. Perhaps even more importantly, they must have a deep sense of the space and a solid understanding of the problems our customers are looking to solve. Our new advisors and CEO have a proven track record of serving customers in similar spaces for years and have used Big Data to create innovative products to make many lives easier on a day-to-day basis.

Sumo Logic has a vested interest in big data’s security. What’s the biggest security concern the big data industry currently faces?

Security is a mindset – it’s a mindset that propels you to consider the security implications of everything we do, and to incorporate best practices right from the start. The challenges facing the Big Data industry are not necessarily new, or much different from ensuring the security of a large infrastructure. Security at scale is difficult; it increases the exposure area if it’s not designed correctly. Big Data on the other hand, can be an incredible tool to ensure a higher level of security, as it can help bring important and interesting signals, in all the data people already have, to the forefront.

Analytics is an important piece of tomorrow’s economy.  What gives you confidence in the future?

Sumo Logic’s strong team is constantly driving innovation and our colleagues’ drive gives me confidence that we will continue to shape the future of log management and analytics. Just this week, we announced Sumo Logic Free: the industry’s first no-cost, full functionality log management and analytics service, and we are planning many more exciting announcements this year. As the collection of machine data continues to expand at previously unfathomable rates, I know that Sumo Logic will be an incredibly useful tool, allowing enterprises to glean business insights from minute details. The best is yet to come!

DATA SPECIALIST

KUMAR SAURABH

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Your most prized possession?

Possessions are fleeting, life is short.

Favorite big data resource?

Curt Monash’s blog DBMS2, related posts on Quora, High Scalability blog and many more.

East or West coast?

Definitely West coast – I’m a secret Snoop Dogg fan!