Table of contents
1.
Introduction
2.
History of big data handling
3.
Defining Big Data
4.
The architecture of Big Data Management 
4.1.
Layers in Big Data Architecture 
4.2.
Processes in Big Data Architecture 
5.
Setting the architectural foundation
6.
Operational Data Sources
7.
Frequently Asked Questions
8.
Conclusion
Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024
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Operational Data Sources

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Introduction

In this blog, we will learn about the Fundamentals of Big Data and its Architecture and then about Operational Data Sources.

When it comes to data, we're dealing with many complications. Some data, such as documents, customer service records, and even photos and videos, is structured and stored in a standard relational database. In contrast, other data, such as papers, customer service records, and even photographs and videos, is unstructured. Although each data source may be managed and examined alone, the problem today is for businesses to understand how all of these diverse types of data interact. It's impossible to think about data management in traditional ways when you're dealing with so much data in so many different forms.

Now we will see how trends had been changed in the course of handling big data with time.

History of big data handling

Big data is significant because it allows companies to collect, store, manage, and manipulate large amounts of data at the correct speed and at the right time to acquire relevant insights. But, before we go into the nitty-gritty of big data, let's look at how data management has evolved and led to big data.

Wave 1: Creating manageable data structures

Data was kept in flat files that imposed no organization when computing entered the commercial market in the late 1960s. To produce value, corporations have to use brute-force tactics, such as very comprehensive programming models, to get to a degree of detailed understanding of clients. Things changed later in the 1970s when the relational data model and relational database management system (RDBMS) were invented, which imposed structure and a means for improving performance.

Wave 2: Web and content management

The market grew from a collection of disparate solutions to a more unified approach that included business process management, information recognition, version control, test management, and collaboration into a platform. Metadata was added to this new generation of systems (information about the organization and characteristics of the stored information).

Wave 3: Managing big data

With big data, it is now possible to virtualize data so that it may be kept more efficiently and cost-effectively, thanks to cloud-based storage. Furthermore, improvements in network speed and dependability have removed other physical barriers to managing large volumes of data at a reasonable rate.

Defining Big Data

Big Data is a term that has been used to describe a large amount of data. Also, we can say Big data is a term that refers to a collection of old and new technologies that enable businesses to acquire meaningful information. As a result, big data is defined as managing a large volume of disparate data at the proper speed and within the correct time frame to perform real-time analysis and reaction.

The architecture of Big Data Management 

The cornerstone for big data management is optimized data architecture. It is the overarching framework for managing enormous amounts of data to analyze it for business objectives, steering data analytics, and providing an environment where big data analytics tools can extract essential business insights from otherwise unclear data. The extensive data architecture framework is designed for big data infrastructures and solutions, logically describing how big data solutions will work, the components employed, how the information will flow, and security considerations.

source: TechVidvan

 

There are some layers in Big data architecture. The followings are mentioned briefly.

Layers in Big Data Architecture 

  • Big Data Sources Layer: A big data environment can handle batch and real-time processing of big data sources like data warehouses, relational database management systems, SaaS applications, and Internet of Things devices.
  • Management & Storage Layer: It gets data from the source, translates it into a format that the data analytics tool can understand, and stores it.
  • Analysis layer: It extracts Business Intelligence from the large data storage layer using analytics tools. 
  • Consumption layer: It takes the results from the big data analysis layer and provides them to the appropriate output layer, also known as the business intelligence layer.

Now, we are going to see processes in big data architecture.

Processes in Big Data Architecture 

  • Connecting to Data Sources: Connectors and adapters can connect to a range of different storage systems, protocols, and networks and connect to any data format.
  • Data Governance: contains privacy and security provisions that operate from the time data is ingested through the time it is processed, analyzed, stored, and deleted.
  • Systems Management: The cornerstone for modern big data systems is often highly scalable, large-scale distributed clusters, which must be monitored continuously by central management consoles.
  • Protecting Service Quality: The Quality of Service framework helps define data quality, compliance regulations, and ingestion frequency and size.

Setting the architectural foundation

It is critical to support the requisite performance and the functional requirements. The kind of analysis you're supporting will determine your requirements. You'll require the appropriate level of computational power and speed.

Your organization and its needs will determine how much attention you have to give to these performance issues. So, to get started, ask yourself these questions:

  • How much data will my company have to manage now and tomorrow?
  • How often will my company require real-time or near-real-time data management?
  • What level of risk may my company take? Is there a high level of security, compliance, and governance in my industry?
  • How critical is speed to my data management needs?
  • How exact or certainly does the data have to be?

Below we are discussing the significance of operational data sources. Let's learn about it.  

Operational Data Sources

Big data is becoming an essential component in how companies leverage high-volume data at the appropriate speed to address specific data challenges. However, big data does not exist in a vacuum. To be effective, businesses must frequently be able to connect the results of big data research with data that already exists within the organization. In other words, big data cannot be considered in isolation from operational data sources. When considering big data, it is necessary to notice that you must include all of the data sources that will provide you with a comprehensive picture of your organization and observe how the data affects the way you manage your business. 

Traditionally, an operational data source consisted of highly organized data stored in a relational database by the line of business. However, as the world changes, it is critical to recognize that operational data must now include a greater range of data sources, including unstructured sources such as customer and social media data in all formats. In the big data world, you'll find new evolving approaches to data management, such as document, graph, columnar, and geographic database architectures. These are collectively referred to as NoSQL or non-SQL databases.

In other words, you must match data architectures to transaction types. As a result, you'll be able to ensure that the correct data is available when you need it. Data architectures that enable complicated unstructured material are also required. To effectively harness extensive data, you must use both relational and nonrelational databases. 

All of these operational data sources share several traits:

  • They are record-keeping systems that track the vital data needed for the business's real-time, day-to-day operations.
  • They are updated regularly depending on transactions within business units and from the internet.
  • These sources must combine structured and unstructured data to portray the business accurately.
  • These systems must also be scalable enough to support thousands of users regularly. Transactional e-commerce systems, customer relationship management systems, and call center apps are examples.

We are done with the blog. Let's move to faqs.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is Big Data?
    Big Data is a term that has been used to describe a large amount of data. Big data is a term that refers to a collection of old and new technologies that enable businesses to acquire meaningful information.
  2. What do you mean by operational data?
    Operational data is precisely what it sounds like: data generated by the day-to-day operations of your company. Customer, inventory, and purchase data are examples of this type of information.
  3. What is an ODS?
    A data warehouse's operational data store (ODS) is a form of database that's frequently employed as a temporary logical region. 
  4. What is the difference between a data warehouse and an ODS(operational data store)?
    The Operational Data Store is a database for transactional data queries. An ODS is frequently used as a temporary or staging area for a data warehouse. However, it varies from a data warehouse in that its contents are updated in real-time, whereas a data warehouse maintains static data.
  5. Why do we have ODS?
    ODS combines data from various sources for lightweight data processing tasks, including operational reporting and real-time analysis.

Conclusion

This article extensively discussed the Fundamentals of Big Data and its Architecture and then Operational Data Sources.

Refer to this link to learn more about Big Data in detail.

Refer here to know more about big data in detail. To know more about SQL, refer here for the top 100 SQL problems asked in various interviews. Refer here for guided paths provided by Coding Ninjas.

We hope that this blog has helped you enhance your knowledge regarding big data and its interfaces and feed, and if you would like to learn more, check out our articles in the code studio library. Do upvote our blog to help other ninjas grow. Happy Coding!

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