The following is a list of some of the factors tha
t have contributed to the growth of digital data:
* Increase in data processing capabilities * Lower cost of digital storage * Affordable and faster communication tech * Proliferation of applications and smart devices ( New devices such as smart phones, etc) Inexpensive and easier ways to collect and store a ll types of data, coupled with increasing individu al and business needs, have lef to accelerated gro wth termed as data explosion. TYPES OF DATA Data can be classified as Structured and Unstructu red based on how it is stored and managed. Former is organized in rows and columns in a rigidly defi ned format so that applications can retrieve and p rocess it effeciently. Usually stored in DBMS. Dat a is unstructured if its elements cannot be stored in rows and columns, which makes it difficult to query and retrieve by applications. BIG DATA It is a new and evolving concept which refers to d ata sets whose sizes are beyond the capability of commonly used software tools to capture, store, ma nage, and process within acceptable time limits. I t include both structured and unstructured data ge nerated by variety of sources, including business application transactions, web pages, videos, image s, e-mails, social media and so on. The big data e cosystem consists of the following : 1. Device that collect data from multiple location s and also generate new data about this data 2. Data collectors who gather data from devices and users. 3. Data aggregators that compile the collected data to extract meaningful information. 4. Data users and buyers who benefit from the info
rmation collected and aggregated by others in the
data value chain. 1.3.1 Core Elements of a Data Center Five core elements are essential for the functional ity of a data center: Application: A computer program that provides the logic for computing operations Database management system (DBMS): Provides a st ructured way to store data in logically organized tables that are interrelated Host or compute: A computing platform (hardware, firmware, and software) that runs applications an d databases Network: A data path that facilitates communicati on among various networked devices Storage: A device that stores data persistently f or subsequent use These core elements are typically viewed and manag ed as separate entities, but all the elements must work together to address data-processing requirem ents. 1.3.2 Key Characteristics of a Data Center Uninterrupted operation of data centers is critica l to the survival and success of a business. Organ izations must have a reliable infrastructure that ensures that data is accessible at all times. Availability: A data center should ensure the av ailability of information when required. Unavailab ility of information could cost millions of dollar s per hour to businesses, such as financial servic es, telecommunications, and e-commerce. Security: Data centers must establish policies, procedures, and corn clement integration to preven t unauthorized access to information. Scalability: Business growth often requires depl oying more servers, new applications, and addition
al databases. Data center resources should scale b
ased on requirements, without interrupting busines s operations. Performance: All the elements of the data center should provide optimal performance based on the r equired service levels. Data Integrity: Data integrity refers to mechani sms, such as error correction codes or parity bits , which ensure that data is stored and retrieved e xactly as it was received. Capacity: Data center operations require adequat e resources to store and process large amounts of data, efficiently. When capacity requirements incr ease, the data center must provide additional capa city without interrupting availability or with min imal disruption. Capacity may be managed by reallo cating the existing resources or by adding new res ources. Manageability: A data center should provide easy and integrated management of all its elements. Ma nageability can be achieved through automation and reduction of human (manual) intervention in commo n tasks. 1.3.3 Managing a Data Center Managing a data cente r involves many tasks. The key management activiti es include the following: Monitoring: It is a continuous process of gather ing information on various elements and services r unning in a data center. The aspects of a data cen ter that are monitored include security, performan ce, availability, and capacity. Reporting: It is done periodically on resource p erformance, capacity, and utilization. Reporting t asks help to establish business justifications and chargeback of costs associated with data center o perations. Provisioning: It is a process of providing the h ardware, software, and other resources required to run a data center. Provisioning activities primar ily include resources management to meet capacity,
availability, performance, and security requireme
nts. Visualization and cloud computing have dramaticall y changed the way data center infrastructure resou rces are provisioned and managed. Organizations ar e rapidly deploying virtualization on various elem ents of data centers to optimize their utilization . Further, continuous cost pressure on IT and on-d emand data processing requirements have resulted i n the adoption of cloud computing. END OF CHAPTER ONE NEW CHAPTER : DATA CENTERED