Databricks is launching a Software-Defined Storage ecosystem that uses the open-source OpenSharing protocol to link on-premises, edge, and private-cloud systems directly into its Data Intelligence Platform. This zero-copy approach lets teams run serverless compute and train models on local datasets under Unity Catalog governance without migrating any data.

• Databricks now lets you query on-prem/edge/private-cloud data (via MinIO, Everpure, Qumulo, VAST Data) directly through Unity Catalog with zero-copy access and no egress fees, using the open-source OpenSharing protocol
• MinIO's AIStor integration is already GA, letting users run live queries on on-prem Iceberg and Delta tables; Everpure and Qumulo are in private preview, VAST Data joins in August
• Targeted at regulated/data-sovereignty-heavy industries (banks, healthcare, semiconductors, trading firms) facing GDPR/HIPAA/NIS2 rules and untenable cloud egress costs at exabyte scale
• Connections must pass Databricks's Partner Well-Architected Framework for security/certification before going live, preserving full lineage, access controls, and audit logs across hybrid environments