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Databricks Apps Adoption Playbook

Field vs Product framework for driving adoption

Friction Summary

Owner: Product Management / Adoption Architect

Product Limitations Overview

High-Level Limitations

Limitation Impact Expected Resolution
Legacy App Support Cannot migrate Java/.NET enterprise apps FY27 (next year)
Cost Control No fine-grained cost management In development
Scalability Not yet “infinite” like hyperscalers In development

Detailed Gap Inventory (Field Signal: Jan 2026)

Category Gap Impact Use Case Blocked Source Priority
Scaling Vertical scaling only Can’t handle burst workloads High-traffic apps Field SA 🔴 Critical
Scaling No horizontal scaling Limits distributed app patterns Multi-instance apps Field SA 🔴 Critical
Customization No GPU/custom hardware config Can’t run GPU-intensive workloads AI inference apps Field SA 🟡 Important
Customization Needs configuration guides Developers unsure how to optimize All Field SA 🟡 Important
Model Serving Complex standard model deployment Friction for ML-powered apps AI apps Field SA 🟡 Important
Database Lakebase only, no external DB Can’t connect to existing OLTP Hybrid apps Field SA 🟡 Important
Domains No custom domains/vanity URLs Can’t brand customer-facing apps External apps Field SA 🔴 Critical
Security No public URLs without Databricks login Blocks external-facing apps Customer portals Field SA 🔴 Critical
Security No firewall for external apps Can’t safely expose to internet Public apps Field SA 🔴 Critical
Security No ingress/egress controls Compliance blocker (regulated industries) FSI, HLS apps Field SA 🔴 Critical
Security CVE protection unclear Security team concerns Enterprise apps Field SA 🟡 Important
Security File system security gaps App server hardening concerns All Field SA 🟡 Important
Cost Fixed 24x7 pricing only No pay-per-use, cost unpredictable Cost-sensitive apps Field SA 🔴 Critical
Observability No user session tracking Can’t analyze user behavior All Field SA 🟡 Important
Observability No access pattern analytics Can’t optimize app performance All Field SA 🟡 Important

Gap Prioritization Matrix

flowchart TB
    subgraph Critical["🔴 CRITICAL - Blocks Deals"]
        C1["Security: No public URLs"]
        C2["Security: No firewall"]
        C3["Security: No ingress/egress"]
        C4["Scaling: Horizontal"]
        C5["Cost: Fixed 24x7"]
        C6["Domains: No custom URLs"]
    end
    
    subgraph Important["🟡 IMPORTANT - Friction"]
        I1["Customization: No GPU"]
        I2["Model Serving: Complex"]
        I3["Database: Lakebase only"]
        I4["Observability: User sessions"]
    end
    
    Critical --> DealLoss["Deal Loss Risk"]
    Important --> Friction["Deployment Friction"]

Gap Priority for PM Feedback

Priority Gap Cluster Deal Impact Action
1 Security (public apps, firewall, ingress/egress) Blocks regulated industries Escalate to PM immediately
2 Cost (fixed pricing) Objection in every deal Include in PM feedback cycle
3 Scaling (horizontal) Limits architecture patterns Track loss analysis
4 Observability Post-deployment friction Lower priority

Blocker Resolution Strategy

Blocker Short-term (90 days) Mid-term (6 months)
Scalability/Cost Set expectations, position for right use cases Product delivers app spaces improvements
Security/Compliance PM escalation + create security patterns playbook Mandatory training for regulated verticals
Architecture Configuration guides, model serving patterns Full reference architectures
Observability Document limitation, suggest workarounds Product improvement

Current Sweet Spot (Where We Win Despite Gaps)

Use Case Type Why It Works Gaps Avoided
Internal data apps No external exposure needed Security, Domains
Moderate-traffic apps Vertical scaling sufficient Horizontal scaling
Always-on apps Fixed pricing acceptable Cost controls
Data-native apps Lakehouse data already present External DB
Authenticated users Databricks auth works Public URLs

Workarounds for Common Gaps

Gap Workaround Limitation
No public URLs Customer auth layer in front Additional complexity
Fixed pricing Position for always-on use cases Can’t serve intermittent apps
No GPU Use Model Serving for inference Separate deployment
No custom domains Use internal naming No branding

Actions for Product Management

Action Purpose Priority Timeline
Security gap escalation Unblock regulated industries 🔴 Critical Immediate
Cost control roadmap visibility Manage field expectations 🔴 Critical Month 1
Horizontal scaling commitment Unblock architecture patterns 🟡 Important Quarter
Observability roadmap Post-deployment improvement 🟢 Monitor FY27

Actions for Adoption Architect

Action Purpose Priority
Synthesize gaps into PM feedback Influence roadmap High
Create positioning for gaps Honest messaging High
Document workarounds Enable field High
Track loss analysis by gap Quantify impact Medium

Last Updated: January 2026

Related: Loss Analysis Signal Capture Positioning