Twenty years ago, a startup called VMware brought in business by providing a platform to create nonphysical machine virtualizations, such as Linux, Windows, and others. As server processing capacity increased, basic applications couldn’t maximize the use of all the abundant new resources. Enter Virtual Machines (VMs), designed to run software on top of a physical […]
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Protection
Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are altering the way organizations gather, process, and protect data. They are being used to gather massive amounts of information about internet users in the form of big data, and to secure and protect it. The challenge is how to maximize the use of big data, while simultaneously safeguarding […]
Data Management vs. Data Strategy
In a DATAVERSITY® interview, Donna Burbank, the Managing Director at Global Data Strategy, said, “The difference between Data Management vs. Data Strategy is almost in the definition of the two words. Think about your money. If you’re just managing it, you’re sort of just getting by, but if you’re thinking strategically, you’re really thinking of […]
A Brief History of Data Silos
The original purpose of a data silo was to keep secrets. People have been keeping secrets for a long, long time. Prior to the written word, keeping a secret meant not sharing specific information with anyone else, verbally. And then came the written word. Secrets could be shared accidentally, or even stolen. Life became more […]
NoSQL Databases: The Versatile Solution for Continuous Intelligence
Most businesses tend to rely on relational database management systems (RDBMS) to provide business insight, including continuous intelligence. Cloud relational databases have improved computing power they bring to the table, to handle more massive amounts of data. However, relational databases, even ones in the cloud, face two issues. They have a harder time with the […]
Graph Database vs. Document Database: Different Levels of Abstraction
“Remember that every science is based upon an abstraction. An abstraction is taking a point of view or looking at things under a certain aspect or from a particular angle. All sciences are differentiated by their abstraction.” (Fulton Sheen) Graph and document databases (aka document stores), also demonstrate this principle. A few years, graph databases […]
So You Want to be a Big Data Analyst?
With the increasing use of big data by organizations in every field, the need for big data analysts will continue to grow. Big data analysts examine vast amounts of varied data. They uncover hidden patterns, customer preferences, and market trends. One of the primary differences between a big data analyst and a data scientist is […]
What Is NoSQL?
NoSQL describes a “category of databases built on non-relational technology.” Some believe it is more accurate to define NoSQL more about how the data is stored and less about how to query the database. NoSQL Databases usually fall under four main categories: Document: Stores a business subject in one structure called a document instead of breaking […]
A Brief History of Analytics
Historically speaking, a simple definition of analytics is “the study of analysis.” A more useful, more modern description would suggest “data analytics” is an important tool for gaining business insights and providing tailored responses to customers. Data analytics, sometimes abbreviated to “analytics,” has become increasingly important for organizations of all sizes. The practice of data […]
So You Want to be a Data Curator?
Data curation is highly focused on maintaining and managing metadata, and not the database itself. Consequently, much of data curation involves such things as good communications and the usage popularity of services or articles. Data curators not only create, manage, and maintain data, but may also be involved in determining best practices for working with […]