A lot has been heard about the term “Big Data” and some people also have a rough idea what it really means. No matter if you are from a IT background or a non-technical one, Big Data is affecting your life right now. You are currently contributing to the whole Big Data thing knowingly or unknowingly. And a lot of the companies are trying to make sense out of the data to apply it in different sectors. So we will discuss the latest trend – Big Data and Analytics and also elaborate on some of the similar terms that you might have heard along with it.
What is Data?
Data is basically any kind of distinct information or knowledge about something that can be for example a picture, text, some feature, etc. Data can make sense or sometimes it may not. But if we manage to make some sense out of it, then we can term it as proper information which can then be applied for different purpose. The most common source of data collection is Internet right now and it is processed using computers.
Now what is Big Data?
Data which is too large and complex that it cannot be processed by a traditional computer application is called as Big Data. Consider this example of social media websites where users willingly post data which is then collected by the companies. These large data sets are too complex and big to be processed using normal software and infrastructure. One needs some advanced methods, software, and processing power to process these kind of data sets. If analysed properly, this data can tell everything about the user and probably can determine the interest of the user, his/her behavior and other information too. Based on this evaluation, one can may be show relevant advertisements which can help both, the user and the entity which benefits from the advertisement.
In one of the seminars(Big Data and analytics – The future of sustainable development) which I attended recently in the N.L. Dalmia Institute of Management, they said that “Data is the new oil” and “Data analytics is the refinery”. Which basically means that companies are investing huge to collect and acquire data and then analyze it for the applications. Big social media companies even those which closed down have lot of data stored which is not dead. It can be analyzed properly and used in the correct manner. If data analytics is used in a safe and proper way then it can be of great use in the field of innovation and development.
This seminar ended with an introduction to special Post Graduation Course in Big Data with SAS. As I mentioned that Big Data needs some advanced algorithms and software for proper analysis, that is where SAS comes in. SAS(Statistical Analysis System)basically is a software suite developed by SAS institute which is meant for predictive analysis, data management, business intelligence, and multivariate analysis. This suite has lot of tools and stuff that also requires some pre-requisite knowledge to understand it properly. That is where this course comes in handy for the people who really want to make a career in this emerging field of Big Data and Analytics.
The course covers SAS programming, Introductory Statistics, Data Management & Manipulation, Data Quality, Hive & SAS, Working with Hadoop and Data Visualization. It basically has all the topics one needs to understand to become a Big Data expert. Its a 480 hours(11 months part-time) course and you can learn from people having 15+ years of experience in the industry & Big Data science management. It is ideal for people having strong background in engineering and mathematical sciences.
Overall Big Data is the future now as we are the new products who are continously creating content and collecting Data. Without proper analysis, the data cannot be used for prediction applications and we will lose the potential of good innovation. Do let me know your thoughts over Big Data and analytics, and I hope you got a gist of the whole topic with some proper guidance on how to purse this as a career option.
