Adoption is architecture: Data virtualisation
Why this deserves attention
External data can sometimes remain in its source while Salesforce presents it at the point of work. The important work is to turn the assumption into a visible decision.
Virtual access adds runtime dependency and can produce an inconsistent user experience when latency or availability changes. On 4 January 2026, this archive entry records the principle as a practical design concern rather than a product announcement.
Design the human system
Look at data virtualisation through how the user experience and operating model determine whether the capability is used. The objective is not to introduce more process; it is to expose the few decisions that determine reliability, ownership and future change.
Compare freshness, volume, ownership and service-level needs before choosing virtual access over replication. Record the decision close to the solution so that delivery, support and future architecture reviews work from the same intent.
What good looks like
The solution avoids unnecessary copies while meeting the user’s performance and continuity expectations. The team can describe the expected behaviour, the owner, the evidence of success and the response when reality differs from the design.
A useful next step is to review one live implementation against this principle, identify the largest unowned assumption and turn it into a bounded improvement with a measurable outcome.
Official reference
Salesforce Architecture: Integration Patterns