Security's Next Control Plane: The Rise Of Pipeline-First Architecture
Security Boulevard, Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025
For years, security operations have relied on monolithic architectures built around centralized collectors, rigid forwarding chains, and a single 'system of record' where all data must land before action can be taken.
On paper, that design promised simplicity and control. In practice, it delivered brittle systems, runaway ingest costs, and teams stuck maintaining plumbing instead of improving outcomes.
These challenges were front and center in a recent conversation I had with Allie Mellon, Forrester principal analyst for Security Operations, and Mark Ruiz, senior director of Cyber Risk and Resiliency at Becton Dickinson. We discussed why the monolithic model is breaking down and how a pipeline-first architecture offers a more flexible and sustainable path forward for large enterprises.