Big data

Big data

Big data (also spelled Big Data) is a general term used to describe the voluminous amount of unstructured and semi-structured data a company creates -- data that would take too much time and cost too much money to load into a relational database for analysis. Although Big data doesn't refer to any specific quantity, the term is often used when speaking about petabytes and exabytes of data.

A primary goal for looking at big data is to discover repeatable business patterns. It’s generally accepted that unstructured data, most of it located in text files, accounts for at least 80% of an organization’s data. If left unmanaged, the sheer volume of unstructured data that’s generated each year within an enterprise can be costly in terms of storage. Unmanaged data can also pose a liability if information cannot be located in the event of a compliance audit or lawsuit.  

Big data analytics is often associated with cloud computing because the analysis of large data sets in real-time requires a framework like MapReduce to distribute the work among tens, hundreds or even thousands of computers. 

Consumerization of IT

Moving forward, IT should take the lead and choose a unified platform that provides the excitement and engagement of consumer technology with the added protection of enterprise-grade security. Organizations should address the consumerization of IT in a way that sparks creativity, encourages collaboration, and promotes innovation—all within the secure walls of an IT ecosystem that safeguards enterprise resources.

Consumer technology is turning the workplace on its head. And as consumers bring their technology to work, they’re pushing for new ways to work that align with how they use social, mobile, and digital tools in their day-to-day lives. While the consumerization of IT has remarkable potential for improving collaboration and productivity, many companies are grappling with the enormous security risks of introducing consumer technologies in the face of increasingly porous borders.