big data & IoT |
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through smartphones , tablets , cars and laptops , plus every traffic light , road , building , home and domestic electronic device , the sheer amount of data produced will be astronomical . Managing this is critical to ensuring smart cities become a reality .
Eighty per cent of all the data in the world has been created in the last few years , and by 2020 an estimated 1.7 megabytes of new information will be created per second for every human on the planet .
The collection , storage and analysis of this data requires processing technology at a scale unthinkable a few short years ago .
Transmission of data
A particular issue in smart cities enablement is the transmission of this data . When it is being transferred , the sheer volume of data to be stored will be enough to encourage organisations to begin connecting their services to cloud based systems . Physical storage requirements would soon extend beyond reasonably available floor space with the level of data being stored and shared , so a tempting solution is to store data in the cloud .
Globalisation plays a critical part in this too . Businesses are connected across the world and national boundaries are no barrier to the transfer of data through emails , video conferencing , instant messaging and other digital communication methods .
Although cloud based storage is already proving instrumental in data driven industries , it has its limitations . The more data that ’ s stored in one place , the harder it is to move . This applies to public and private cloud storage as well as physical storage . The simple fact is that cloud based systems cannot handle the storage , transmission
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and manipulation of the level of data that a smart city demands . So how can this be achieved ?
How can we manage Big Data ?
Fundamentally , fully exploiting the potential of Big Data is dependent on the way in which it is managed . Innovators in network architecture are rising to the challenge through systems that enable efficient remote working , even for the largest datasets and most demanding applications .
Through next generation data sharing networks , allowing even the most data driven fields , such as oil , gas and healthcare , to operate remotely , new standards in data transmission are being set . Indeed , remote working in these industries was , until recently seen as an impossible leap forward due to the volume of information required by these organisations to operate . Moving large datasets is challenging . Data is often best stored in data centres , but this can create a complex network architecture wherein the huge amount of data required by an application is stored away from the application itself . Moving that data becomes extremely problematic , and this kind of system will not serve smart cities effectively .
A more streamlined network architecture is required to keep data on the move , and enable applications with even the greatest hardware demands ( such as the BIM software used by architects , engineers and construction workers building smart cities ) to be used on any device . Network architects are pioneering ways to make business applications and data accessible via hybrid cloud based systems , allowing remote access to be made even when there are huge amounts of data to be transferred .
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‘ Fully exploiting the potential of Big Data is dependent on the way in which it is managed .’ |
Global reach
Systems are emerging to store the data , application and hardware in the data centre . Rather than be restricted to remote access via local servers , which are often only accessible by a group of computers connected to the same network in the same office , companies can have a truly global reach .
This same approach and technology can solve the data problems needed to realise the potential of the smart city . As data can be managed in more effective ways it allows easier movement of data and lessens the effect of data gravity , making big data management more efficient . Enabling remote working and faster data transfer via the cloud is the key to tomorrow ’ s smart cities .
Incorporating this next generation data management system into the smart cities ’ schemes brings a friction free network for smart cities , allowing necessary data sharing to happen without hindrance from legacy systems and without the need for expensive new infrastructure .
The ambition to make cities efficient and liveable for their inhabitants is there . Whether an application helps inhabitants to find a parking space , monitors the levels of recycling happening within a city or creates safer environments for people to live in , it is increasingly recognised as vital for the rapid urbanisation currently taking place . Hybrid cloud systems can now make this ambition a reality .
The future is bright for smart cities with new developments and innovations being made every second , meaning these cities are becoming more user friendly for their future inhabitants . However , the way in which Big Data is managed will be critical for the successful enablement of these cities .
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June 2017 | 25 |