Simplifying Compliance with VComply & MongoDB

Adam Hughes
November 17, 2021 | Updated: October 17, 2022
#BuiltWithMongoDB#Startups

As businesses globally are facing external pressures to be more focused on privacy, security, and transparency, compliance management is needed now more than ever. With 200+ regulatory updates, 900 regulatory agencies, and the average cost of a non-compliance incident being $14 million, maintaining compliance is critical for every business, no matter the size.

Tracking, maintaining, and proving compliance has traditionally been incredibly difficult, resource-intensive, and takes a significant time commitment. That's why one startup aims to simplify compliance by disrupting the antiquated industry.

Enter VComply. Founded in 2019, VComply is a governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) platform that enables its customers with a secure and easy-to-use solution. VComply is highly configurable to meet the specific needs of any organization without additional coding or infrastructure changes.

The platform collects, organizes, analyzes, and automatically reports on GRC data inputted into the system to provide a high-level view of an organization's compliance posture at any given time.

Combining that with the ability to surface detailed information on any control, VComply modernizes how people work and interact with GRC programs within their businesses.

In this week's #BuiltWithMongoDB, we take a look at VComply to learn more about how they are truly helping organizations strengthen their risk and compliance management.

We spoke with Harshvardhan Kariwala, CEO, and Ashish Jha, Vice President of Engineering at VComply to discuss the company's journey and how they decided to build with MongoDB.

What inspired you to build the business?

Harshvardhan: VComply is actually my third startup. At one of my previous companies, I had become hyper-focused on building the business, and I eventually lost sight of compliance. Operational functions fell through the cracks, and I ended up outsourcing our compliance programs to this corporate firm in Singapore.

Fast forward a bit, they ended up forgetting to do a required compliance filing, and we ended up responsible for paying the non-compliance fines associated with that.

One reporting misstep, and we were fined. That's what got me worried. We got lucky that was all that happened.

It only took one time to inspire action. We then built an internal tool where the entire idea was around creating a culture of reporting excellence and internal accountability.

After adopting our newly created tool, in 2018, we realized that we built a very robust solution to real day-to-day compliance problems. We thought, "Why don't we spin this off into its own product?"

By that time, I was ready to get back into product development, and this was the perfect opportunity. In early 2019 we set up VComply. We quickly got our first customer, the City of Boston, and never looked back.

So that's where VComply got its start. It was never meant to be sold as a product. It was more of an internal compliance tracking tool. That's how we entered the GRC space.

What exactly does VComply do? What are some of its most useful product features?

Harshvardhan: We help businesses be compliant, mitigate risk, and adopt a culture of transparency. If there isn't internal alignment within a company, no tool is going to help them. At its core, VComply is designed to be easy to use so that anyone in an organization can adopt a compliance-first mindset. By removing the traditional technological barriers, we found that businesses can realize the benefits quickly.

That said, VComply serves as the single source of truth for everything GRC within an organization. Think tracking compliance obligations, compliance monitoring, automating activities, alerts and follow-ups, compliance evidence collection, audit trails, and more.

Another popular piece of our tool is our enterprise risk management as well as policy management functionalities. You can monitor and manage risk programs, quickly identify risks, and start linking compliance obligations to mitigate that risk.

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What makes VComply stand out from its competitors?

Harshvardhan: Most other solutions on the market require a compliance expert, are hard to navigate, and take a significant time commitment upfront to get up and running. We built VComply to be more practical and realistic with how people manage their compliance and risk programs today. VComply is easy to set up, simple to use for the end-user, and flexible to map to the specific controls a business needs to comply with without any additional coding.

How did you decide to build with MongoDB?

Ashish: Easy and intuitive search support, as well as indexing and automated performance suggestions, were the key drivers for us building with MongoDB. Also, training new developers is very straightforward.

What has your experience been like scaling with MongoDB?

Ashish: Scaling is pretty seamless with MongoDB. Setting up alerts and monitoring is very straightforward. We've had nothing but great experiences so far.

Do you have a favorite technical book or podcast that you would recommend to other tech entrepreneurs?

Harshvardhan: I would recommend The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building by Matt Mochary. That's definitely a great read.

This is a bit of an open questions, so feel free to interpret it how you'd like. What are you currently learning?

Harshvardhan: That's a tough one. I think you're always learning so many different things on any given day that it's difficult to give one answer. Today, I'm learning marketing strategies, like demand gen as well as sales tactics to scale the business.

Ashish: Primarily, I'm learning how engineering can augment and support other organizations within the company.

Who are some tech leaders or entrepreneurs that you admire?

Ashish: I do admire Jeff Bezos quite a bit. I admire the laser focus that he has and the clarity in terms of his reasoning.

Harshvardhan: Elon Musk because of his ideas and execution. One thing that's great about him is how he executes his ideas flawlessly.

Interested in learning more about MongoDB for Startups? Learn more about us here.

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Preparing for Your Consulting Engineer Interview at MongoDB

Are you a software professional who isn't always just about the software? Do you write code, but just as often get an equally strong sense of accomplishment by configuring a tricky but vital part of the operating system or DBMS? Do you enjoy working with a variety of computer professionals from SysAdmins to Devs to CTOs? Do you feel that special spark from knowing there's so much more to learn about the technology you eat, sleep, and breathe, and that you might never learn every last bit of it, but it'll be a heck of a ride trying to? Are data management and consulting two things you enjoy doing more than anything else? We are always on the lookout for such professionals. Those who seek the challenge. Those who can immerse themselves in every cubic millimeter of a particular stack in their quest to find “the answer”. Those who find fulfillment in helping MongoDB's customers realize every bit of potential that our products can give them. MongoDB Professional Services provides best-of-breed expertise and experience for all of our products to help our customers and community users get the most out of them. This can involve one or more of: Application Lifecycle Expertise, providing both strategic and tactical consulting from the conception to delivery to post-delivery phases of your application lifecycle Dedicated time with a dedicated MongoDB technical expert, with all of the resources of the company and the community at their disposal Public and Private Training for DBAs, DevOps Engineers, Developers, and Data Scientists Migrating customer workloads to MongoDB in Public Clouds And on the front lines is the Consulting Engineer (CE). The Jack-of-all-trades of all things MongoDB who works directly with our customers on a daily basis. What follows is a guide for those looking to join MongoDB Professional Services. We have Consulting Engineer positions available at a variety of levels, and this guidance should help make for the best possible interview experience! Do you have what we're looking for? Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to know how to use MongoDB. Trust me, that was my situation when I interviewed with MongoDB. Don't get us wrong, it is a definite “plus” to have some experience or be an expert, but no experience with MongoDB isn't a deal-breaker. It also isn't an absolute requirement to have been a Consulting Engineer before (I hadn't been), but you do need the skills and qualities that can be made into a successful CE. We look for bright, motivated people who can learn quickly, pivot effortlessly, and adapt relentlessly to a myriad of challenges and situations. People who rise up to technical challenges in pursuit of our customers' needs. We are mostly focused on customers after the sale, although we do work in tandem at times with our Account Teams. A MongoDB Consulting Engineer is well-versed in modern software stacks, database technologies, software development, deployment, and day-to-day operations. They utilize MongoDB Best Practices, deliver MongoDB Technical Training, and work with both customer Dev and Ops teams to ensure successful deployments of MongoDB-based software solutions. They are resourceful, adaptable, always willing to learn, and (if and when we get back to it) comfortable travelling a majority of the time. They enjoy interacting with software professionals on a daily basis. They enjoy representing MongoDB and its products and technologies. They enjoy real-world technical challenges. Do we have what you're looking for? The very first step in your journey is to check the Customer Engineering careers page for open Consulting Engineer positions. If one or more look like a potential fit, we encourage you to apply! As an organization, MongoDB Professional Services strives to be one of the best in the industry. We adhere to very high standards, which translates to maximum benefit to our customers. We are always learning from each other and learning about our new products and technologies as they come down the pipeline. We work hard, we have a lot of fun, and we make a difference. Because a Consulting Engineer must possess a broad skill set, there is significant potential for career growth within the organization. People management is one route, or you might decide you'll always prefer to 'stay technical' - in the latter case, consider a development path that could land you a coveted MongoDB Distinguished Engineer position some day. Alternatively, you might at some point determine that you wish to move into other Professional Services roles with other emphases, such as: Tool and Framework Development for our customers, as well as your fellow Consulting Engineers Curriculum Development, for internal or external Training offerings Engagement Management, where you working more closely with Account Teams to present Professional Services' value proposition to potential and current customers Project Management You are given extensive freedom as a MongoDB Consulting Engineer. We give you the freedom to explore, the freedom to create, the freedom to learn, and the freedom to contribute to the organization and our customers in your unique way. Do you aspire to give a presentation at a MongoDB.local or at MongoDB World? Perhaps the written word is your thing, and you'd like to try your hand at blogging for MongoDB and Professional Services (like I'm doing right here!). Or maybe you just like to develop new and interesting tools for other MongoDB users through the MongoDB Community. All of those and more are possible. Is that what you're looking for? As a company, MongoDB aims to be recognized as a leader in how we value and look after our employees, as well as our customers. Want to learn more? Check out our Life At MongoDB blog posts. Interview step one: speaking with a recruiter Once you've applied for a Consulting Engineer position, a Recruiter will review your resume and determine if they think your skills and experience could be a good fit for the role. If so, they’ll reach out to you to get to know you better and to discuss your qualifications for the particular position, your experience in the industry to date, and what you are looking for in a position with MongoDB. The more you can reflect on your experience and expertise and then show its applicability to what we're looking for, the better. Think about what you are wanting in a career at MongoDB as a Consulting Engineer and how we may be able to make that happen together. A good job fit is, after all, a two-way street. Interview step two: speaking with the hiring manager If the Recruiter confirms that you are a potential fit for Professional Services, you will be scheduled for some time with the Hiring Manager. Give some thought to the following: What do you want out of your next job? What are you looking for in a company and a manager? Why do you feel, at this point, that you are an excellent fit for this position? Pick some example experiences/situations from your past that may be relevant to this position, and be prepared to discuss them. The manager will likely share more about the overall and day-to-day expectations of the job. They will also ask if you have additional questions that they can answer to give you a fuller picture. Our goal is to give you a proper overview of the team (and its culture), Professional Services, and what it's like working at MongoDB. Interview step three: speaking with MongoDB Consulting Engineers In this phase, you will have a handful of one-hour interviews with established MongoDB Consulting Engineers. Each interview covers one or more of the following: Database expertise (Relational and non-Relational) Software development experience and familiarity Problem solving expertise and approach(es) Consulting experience/expertise Rigors of and requirements for daily customer interaction Now: Working with customers remotely (Potentially) In the future: Business travel a majority of the time (note: on hold at present due to COVID) "Soft skills" needed to be a successful MongoDB Consulting Engineer Report writing skills Verbal communication skills (1-on-1 and to groups) Dealing with various customer personalities and situations Comfort talking to customer individual contributors, management, and business stakeholders No, we do not expect you to code an O(n) sorting algorithm on a whiteboard while we wait. Nor do we expect you to install and configure a database server on the fly from a terminal window. That being said, if those sorts of things intrigue you, well…. points for that. What we will do is dig into how you attack problems, how you work with individuals and groups to find solutions, and how you make use of available resources and think outside the box when required. We also ask questions to see how quickly you can absorb new information and how quickly you can adapt to rapidly changing situations. Interview step four: speaking with the PS Director The last stage in the interview process is a chat (usually via video conference) with the Professional Services (PS) Director for that region. This can give you a slightly different perspective of the organization and the role itself, as well as added visibility into our business and company culture. The good news is that this will not be as technical as the interviews above. Before this discussion, consider what you've discussed so far in the interview process, and what other aspects of the role you have further questions about. I will say that when I interviewed back in the day, I sat down with our newly-hired head of Professional Services and asked him "where do you see the organization in two to three years?". His answer was a significant piece of why I accepted MongoDB's offer, so don't be afraid to ask what's really on your mind! Questions? I love to make connections between outstanding individual contributors and MongoDB Professional Services, so if you have any questions about this process or the jobs, feel free to drop me a line. If you’d like to hear more about my experience as a Principal Consulting Engineer, listen to this episode of The MongoDB Podcast. You can find me on LinkedIn, or by writing to me at eric.reid@mongodb.com . Good luck! Interested in pursuing a career as a Consulting Engineer at MongoDB? We have several open roles on our teams across the globe and would love for you to transform your career with us!

November 16, 2021
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MongoDB Database Observability: Integrating with Monitoring Tools

This post is the final in a three-part series on leveraging database observability. Welcome back to our series on Leveraging Database Observability! Our previous post showcased a real-world use case highlighting how MongoDB Atlas’s observability tools effectively tackle database performance challenges. Whether you’re a developer, DBA, or DevOps engineer, our mission is to empower you to harness the full potential of your data through our observability suite . Integrating Atlas metrics with your central enterprise observability tools can simplify your operations. By seamlessly working with popular observability tools, our approach helps teams streamline workflows and enhance visibility across systems. Integrating MongoDB Atlas with third-party monitoring tools MongoDB’s developer data platform combines all essential data services for building modern applications within a unified experience. Our purpose-built observability tools for Atlas environments offer automatic monitoring and optimization, guiding diagnostics tailored specifically for MongoDB. Additionally, we extend Atlas metrics into your existing enterprise observability stack, enabling seamless integration without replacing your current tools. This creates a consolidated, single-pane view that unifies Atlas telemetry with other tech and application metrics, ensuring comprehensive visibility into both database and full-stack performance. This integration empowers you to monitor, receive alerts, and make data-driven decisions within your existing workflows, driving greater efficiency. Below is a quick guide to modifying integration settings through the Atlas UI and the popular integrations we support: Navigate to the Project Integrations page in Atlas. Choose the organization and project you want to configure from the navigation bar. On the Project Integrations page, select the third-party services you’d like to integrate. Configure the chosen services with the required API keys and regions. Critical integrations for your observability platform With Atlas’s Datadog and Prometheus integrations, you can send critical MongoDB metrics to these platforms, empowering detailed, real-time monitoring. Through Datadog , you can track database operation counts, query efficiency, and resource usage, ideal for pinpointing bottlenecks and managing resources. Similarly, Prometheus enables you to monitor essential metrics like query times, connection rates, and memory usage, supporting flexible tracking of database health and performance. Both integrations facilitate proactive detection of issues, alert configuration for resource thresholds, and a cohesive view of Atlas data when visualized in Grafana. Atlas’s integration with PagerDuty streamlines incident management by sending metrics like performance alerts, billing anomalies, and security events directly to PagerDuty. This integration records incidents automatically, notifies teams upon alerts, and supports two-way syncing, ensuring resolved alerts in Atlas are reflected in PagerDuty. It enables efficient incident response and resource allocation to maintain system stability. With Atlas integrations for Microsoft Teams and Slack, you can route key metrics—such as query latency, disk usage, and throughput—to these channels for timely updates. Teams can use these insights for real-time performance monitoring, incident response, and collaboration. Notifications through these platforms ensure your team stays informed on database performance, storage health, and user activity changes as they occur. Use case: Centralized observability with MongoDB Atlas, Datadog, and Slack Let’s walk through a hypothetical scenario for ShopSmart, an e-commerce company that leverages MongoDB Atlas to manage its product catalog and customer data. As traffic surges, the DevOps team faces challenges in monitoring application performance and database health effectively. To tackle these challenges, the team leverages MongoDB Atlas’ integration with Datadog and Slack, creating a powerful observability ecosystem. Integrating MongoDB Atlas with Datadog: The team pushes key MongoDB Atlas metrics into Datadog, such as query performance, connection counts, and Atlas Vector Search metrics. With Datadog, they can visualize these metrics and correlate overall MongoDB performance with their other applications. Out-of-the-box monitors and dedicated dashboards allow the team to track metrics like throughput, average read/write latency, and current connections. This visibility helps pinpoint bottlenecks in real time, ensuring optimal database performance and improving overall application responsiveness. Setting up alerts in Datadog: The team configures alerts for critical metrics like high query latency and increased error rates. When thresholds are breached, Datadog instantly notifies the team. This proactive approach allows the team to address potential performance issues before they impact customers. Integrating Datadog with Slack: To ensure fast communication, alerts are sent directly to the dedicated Slack channel, “ShopSmart-Alerts.” This integration fosters seamless collaboration, enabling the team to discuss and resolve issues in real-time. With these integrations, ShopSmart’s engineering team can monitor performance quickly and address issues efficiently. The unified observability approach enhances operational efficiency, improves the customer experience, and supports ShopSmart’s competitive edge in the e-commerce industry. By leveraging MongoDB Atlas, Datadog, and Slack, the team ensures scalable performance and drives continuous innovation. Conclusion MongoDB Atlas empowers developers and organizations to achieve unparalleled observability and control over their database environments. By seamlessly integrating with central enterprise observability tools, Atlas enhances your ability to monitor performance metrics and ensures you can do so within your existing workflows. This means you can focus on building modern applications confidently, knowing you have the insights and alerts necessary to maintain optimal performance. Embrace the power of MongoDB Atlas and transform your approach to database management—because your applications can thrive when your data is observable. And that wraps up our Leveraging Database Observability series! We hope you learned something new and found value in these discussions. Sign up for MongoDB Atlas , our cloud database service, to see database observability in action. To dive deeper and expand your knowledge, check out this learning byte for more insights on the MongoDB observability suite and how it can enhance your database performance.

November 14, 2024