Big data can be intimidating to deal with, and even more so if you do business online. Different businesses may encounter different challenges in adopting big data so it’s important that all decision-makers know how to address and solve these unique obstacles. Although data concerns are diverse, here are a few common ones and possible solutions for each.
Insufficient Knowledge of Big Data
If employees don’t clearly understand big data, your business could waste time and resources implementing unnecessary or ineffective data adoption projects. What’s more, people tend to be wary of things they don’t understand, which could impede progress.
Solution: Educate at All Levels
So what is big data? In simple terms, big data is larger, more complex data sets, especially from new data sources, that are so voluminous that traditional data processing software can’t manage them. This requires turning to different solutions for data management and storage, which likely means a change in company culture. This should start from the top down, with management demonstrating support for big data adoption. Additionally, IT departments should organize workshops and training for all workers to ensure they understand the change, how it will benefit them, and what they’ll need to do differently.
Too Many Types of Big Data Technology
There are many innovations in big data today. Do you use HBase for your data, or is Cassandra better? Do you use Spark as your framework, or is Hadoop MapReduce the better option? What are the pros and cons of choosing one or the other? There is a wealth of options for companies, which can make it difficult to choose the right tools and platforms to ensure your success.
Solution: Hire an Expert
When you do not know how to fix a machine, you don’t attempt to repair it. Similarly, if you are new to big data, you should hire a professional to get your company up to speed. You could also consult a data services company to help you understand your options and make the smartest choice for your business needs.
Big Data Adoption Is Expensive
Whether you get an on-premises or cloud-based solution, you will need to allocate a significant amount of resources for big data adoption. With on-premises solutions, you have to account for new hires, electricity, and hardware, to name just a few. Meanwhile, you have to pay for cloud services, hire staff, and perform maintenance measures for cloud-based solutions.
Solution: Know Your Situation
Often, companies’ expenses rise when they don’t know how to maximize tech for their needs. Get clear on your specific technological needs and business goals—do you need flexibility or security? You could also consider hybrid solutions where part of the data is in the cloud and part of it is on-premises. A data science consulting firm can help you identify the best option for you.
Managing Big Data Is Complicated
Data integration is one of the most challenging things about managing big data. The information you must analyze comes from diverse sources, and data formats will differ. Furthermore, big data isn’t 100 percent accurate which can lead to erroneous, duplicate, or contradictory data.
Solution: Have a Plan for Cleaning Data
Big data will need to be cleaned up, and a data analytics solutions company can help you do with that. They can help you create a model for your data allowing you to compare data to points of truth, match records, and merge them.
Big Data and Security Challenges
Often, companies neglect the security features of big data technologies. Organizations often wait to develop a security plan until the project is up and running which can lead to security being at the bottom of the priority list.
Solution: Put Security First
When designing your big data solution’s architecture, you need to incorporate security measures at the beginning of the project. This may result in a longer project conceptualization phase, but you won’t have to deal with unexpected data safety concerns in the future.
It Is Challenging to Upscale
Big data’s greatest strength is also its most challenging aspect—its ability to scale. You need to have a system capable of scaling up its storing and processing capabilities. Otherwise, you won’t be able to respond to your organization’s growth.
Solution: Well-Structured Data Architecture
When you have a good framework for your big data solution, you can mitigate challenges to scaling up your processes. Proper data architecture also enables you to plan your system’s maintenance and support, hold regular performance audits, and address any concerns.
Conclusion
Big data adoption is becoming more critical for businesses every day. And while it may seem like an overwhelming challenge at first, there are solutions your business can implement to seamlessly make the transition. With research, work, and partnership with data specialists, your business can adopt big data to meet your needs and easily address any challenges that arise.
At Gemini Data, we can help your company better manage big data to meet your goals. Contact us today to learn how we help organizations understand, share, and leverage their data.
