ict
Big Data: here to stay
The next big thing? After the cloud, mobile apps and social media, Big Data is the most recent buzzword. Big Data is not only about the enormous amount of data that is still increasing with lightning speed, it is mainly about the ability to combine information from various sources and to enrich and analyze this information. This leads to new knowledge and the possibility to make highly accurate predictions.
structured as well as unstructured. Moreover, its added value is mainly due to its ready availability. A database with client data – no matter how large – does not qualify for the definition. That is, however, the case when information on earlier purchases is combined with data on web surf behavior, to trigger someone on line with a tailor made offer.
Flu The term Big Data is hot; it is the subject of an increasing number of blogs, books and meetings. For many, the notion means huge data centers with endless rows of servers, but that is just a part of the story. The main point is not so much the availability of data, but what is being done with it.
Multiple sources According to ICT research agency Gartner, Big Data must entail volume, variety and velocity. Data must come from multiple sources and must be suitable to be enriched by other data,
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C u r a ç a o b u s i ne s s
| number 1 | 2013
In order to shine some light on the scope of Big Data, Viktor Mayer-Schönberger and Kenneth Cukier give a number of clarifying examples in their book The Big Data Revolution. When a new influenza virus raises its ugly head, information regarding the spread of the virus is almost always dated. Usually, people have already been ill for some time before they call a doctor. Also, data is not gathered continuously. Google researched whether the spreading of a virus could be predicted at an earlier stage. In order to do so, they compared the online search behavior in the US to the official data on flu.
