Big Data
By Adya Kastwar, SE EXTC
What is big data?
Big data refers to large and complex sets of data. Their size and complexity make
traditional data computing systems inadequate for dealing with them.
Big data is characterized by five dimensions: volume, velocity, variety, veracity and value.
Volume : Organizations collect large amounts of data from multiple sources. Big data does not
sample.
Velocity : Big data is available in real time and has to be dealt with accordingly.
Variety : Big data draws from all sorts of formats - text, audio, video, images, etc. Data can be
structured, semi-structured or unstructured.
Veracity : There can be significant variations in the quality of captured data, which affect
accurate analysis.
Variability : Inconsistencies in the collected and sampled data can obstruct accurate processing
and analysis.
Broadly speaking, the concepts of big data and data analysis have been around for a long
time, but with the field of big data shooting into limelight in recent times, companies now have
agile and efficient means of analysing such data, as opposed to the basic analysis techniques
they employed earlier.