Tech Kickoff
Official “Data @ ROTOP” project kickoff via Google Meet. Bijan and Bianca Frost (Gemma) with IT lead Torsten Rex. All contracts already signed; this was the first working session. Bianca is the Gemma project lead (Bijan helped run the session as her voice was hoarse).
Data delivery
Stefan Profus uploaded an 8.6 GB zip (Business Central dump, ~19 GB unzipped) to ROTOP SharePoint just before the call; Bijan downloaded it during the meeting. The Sage dump is separate (Stefan / Frank Gaebler, once Frank is back). Bijan to review the BC data by Monday and flag anything unclear, in which case Rex brings in a BC-experienced colleague.
Server access
Linux server hosted at Strato (not on-prem, not AWS/Azure). Bijan’s SSH public key is already loaded; Stefan Profus to email the server IP and connection details to Bijan and Bianca. Bijan adds Bianca’s key after first connecting. IP whitelisting deferred to the next Tuesday (Rex wants Frank present).
Accounts
| Tool | Action | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Snowflake | Trial account, EU Frankfurt, shared admin login | Gemma |
| Snowflake billing | Register a credit card before the trial expires (before Rex’s holiday in ~2 weeks) | ROTOP (Einkauf) |
| dbt Cloud | Trial account (also needs a card) | Gemma |
| GitHub | Org + three repos (infra/IaC, data loading, dbt transformation) | ROTOP (Frank Gaebler) |
| Cloud Cowork | Settings/admin access for Gemma (DSGVO config) | Rex to clarify with IT |
Pipeline and stack (agenda walk-through)
Goals for the session: understand the infrastructure and required access, build a setup checklist with clear owners, and define an effective modus operandi for the coming weeks. The stack decisions, layer by layer:
- Loading: dlt (data load tool) plus Airflow on the ROTOP Linux server; explicitly no Fivetran/Airbyte. Gemma connects via SSH (public key + IP whitelist from the Gemma VPN).
- Sources: Business Central (both legal entities, ROTOP Pharmaka + Pharmazie) and Sage 100 (Pharmazie); the initial dump is coordinated via the former parent group’s contact (Ute), with Rex as the ROTOP-side owner.
- Warehouse: Snowflake as the data lake, EU region, fixed. Gemma needs admin access; a credit card must be on file within the 30-day trial (Rex to find the card owner before his holiday). Trial vs. ROTOP-owned account still open.
- Transformation: dbt Cloud (Starter) already decided; no separate Airflow server for dbt since dbt Cloud is used.
- Interface: no classic dashboards; Claude Cowork is the primary interface, via the dbt Cloud semantic layer (MCP). Open GDPR question: whether to run models through AWS Bedrock.
Governance and comms
- Weisungsberechtigung: Rex still needs Peterseim to formally delegate it per the AVV; agreed mechanism is an email from Rex to Peterseim, Peterseim replies with Gemma + Rex in CC. Bijan treats it as retroactively granted on receipt.
- Shared data email (e.g.
data@rotop-pharmaka.de) for Snowflake setup and later SMTP alerts; Rex can set up a shared mailbox (preferred) or a forwarding alias. - Comms: Bijan and Bianca added as guests to ROTOP Teams/SharePoint. Bianca posts meeting notes to the Teams channel and sets up ClickUp as the Gemma-side PM tool (giving Rex access). Credentials shared via 1Password (ROTOP uses a different manager on their side).
Weekly sync
Tuesdays 13:00 (Bianca to send the invite). Initial attendees Rex + Frank Gaebler; Peterseim and Gottlieb to advise whether finance/business stakeholders join (Gottlieb sourced some datasets, so his team may join for validation); Julia may join once back from holiday.
Other
Azure is ROTOP’s cloud (relevant to Phase 2 remote log storage; Blob Storage), still being split in the carve-out. ROTOP has had Claude Cowork ~4 weeks and is in “orientating and playing” mode; Rex has org admin rights and will sort Gemma’s settings access within 14 days.