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Article
Data streaming projects aren't always a big-data deal
Many data streaming applications don't involve huge amounts of information. A case in point: an analytics initiative aimed at speeding the diagnosis of problems with Wi-Fi networking devices. Read Now
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Article
Stream processing boosts online ad analytics
Online advertising platform providers Altitude Digital and Sharethrough are both tapping Apache Spark's stream processing capabilities to support more real-time analysis of ad data. Read Now
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Article
Health claims processor taps Spark Streaming for better analytics
To give healthcare providers a real-time view of the claims processing operations its systems support, RelayHealth is augmenting its Hadoop cluster with Spark's stream processing module. Read Now
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Article
Grocery co-op looks to big data system to improve sales analysis
Allegiance Retail Services, a mid-Atlantic supermarket co-operative, is deploying a cloud-based big data platform in place of a homegrown system that fell short on analytics power. Read Now
Editor's note
By now, many companies have decided that big data is not just a buzzword, but a new fact of business life -- one that requires having strategies in place for managing large volumes of both structured and unstructured data. And with the reality of big data comes the challenge of analyzing it in a way that brings real business value. Business and IT leaders who started by addressing big data management issues are now looking to use big data analytics to identify trends, detect patterns and glean other valuable findings from the sea of information available to them.
It can be tempting to just go out and buy big data analytics software, thinking it will be the answer to your company's business needs. But big data analytics technologies on their own aren't sufficient to handle the task. Well-planned analytical processes and people with the talent and skills needed to leverage the technologies are essential to carry out an effective big data analytics initiative. Buying additional tools beyond an organization's existing business intelligence and analytics applications may not even be necessary depending on a project's particular business goals.
This Essential Guide consists of articles and videos that offer tips and practical advice on implementing successful big data analytics projects. Use the information resources collected here to learn about big data analytics best practices from experienced users and industry analysts -- from identifying business goals to selecting the best big data analytics tools for your organization's needs.
1Opportunities and evolution in big data analytics processes
As big data analytics tools and processes mature, organizations face additional challenges but can benefit from their own experiences, helpful discoveries by other users and analysts, and technology improvements. Big data environments are becoming a friendlier place for analytics because of upgraded platforms and a better understanding of data analysis tools. In this section, dig deeper into the evolving world of big data analytics.
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Article
Real-time data streaming can help organizations get ahead of events
Technologies that support real-time data streaming and analytics aren't for everyone, but they can aid organizations that need to quickly assess large volumes of incoming information. Read Now
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Article
Big data trends to keep an eye on
Although the main trends in big data for 2015 may not be a huge departure from the previous year, businesses should still understand what's new in the world of big data analysis techniques. Read Now
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Article
Predictive models require the right understanding of big data analytics
Before starting the analytical modeling process for big data analytics applications, organizations need to have the right skills in place -- and figure out how much data needs to be analyzed to produce accurate findings. Read Now
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Article
Big data project helps to improve farm irrigation efforts
The Flint River Partnership is testing technology that analyzes a variety of data to generate localized weather forecasts for farmers in Georgia. Read Now
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Article
Utility turns to sensors to gain big data edge
Big data analytics processes on data from sensors and log files can propel users to competitive advantages, but a lot of refining is required first. Read Now
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Article
To-do items for big data analytics project managers
Consultant Rick Sherman offers a checklist of recommended project management steps for getting big data analytics programs off to a good start. Read Now
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Article
New analytics needs call for additions to data warehouse architectures
Consultants Claudia Imhoff and Colin White outline an extended business intelligence and analytics architecture that can accommodate big data data analysis tools. Read Now
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Article
Access, analyze big data with the right SQL-on-Hadoop engine
It's important to carefully evaluate the differences between the growing number of query engines that access Hadoop data for analysis using SQL, says consultant Rick van der Lans. Read Now
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Article
Marketers gain competitive edge with big data, data discovery tools
Marketers have a new world of opportunities thanks to big data, and data discovery tools can help them take advantage, according to Babson professor Tom Davenport. Read Now
2News and perspectives on big data analytics technologies
Big data analysis techniques have been getting lots of attention for what they can reveal about customers, market trends, marketing programs, equipment performance and other business elements. For many IT decision makers, big data analytics tools and technologies are now a top priority. These stories highlight trends and perspectives to help you manage your big data implementation.
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Article
Opinions vary on data security laws proposed by Obama
President Barack Obama has introduced proposals for data security, but not everyone thinks they will address key questions for businesses. Read Now
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Article
Teradata rolls out new big data application suite
Teradata is the latest technology vendor making a play for businesses looking for easy-to-implement big data apps. Read Now
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Article
Big data continues to expand from original roots
What is "big data" and why is the IT industry talking about it so much? IT pros offer insights into the origins of the popular and much-hyped phrase. Read Now
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Article
Hadoop and big data technology: Benefits versus pitfalls
Hadoop and its variants offer analysis for “big data” sets, but there are integration and availability limits, according to a panel at the Enzee Universe 2011 conference. Read Now
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Article
Survey finds split on view of analytics from execs, staffs
In this news recap, executives assess analytic success and marketers realign their technology spending priorities. Read Now
3Best practices for implementing big data analytics projects
The stories in this section offer a closer look at what makes a big data implementation work -- and what doesn't. Experts share advice for selecting tools used in big data analytics, tips for identifying business goals, best practices for existing resources and insights into how to avoid common mistakes.
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Article
Don't think of it as just big data -- think wide
To get maximum business value from big data analytics efforts, users should look to incorporate a mix of structured and unstructured information -- think of it as wide, not merely big, data. Read Now
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Article
What to use -- and not to use -- leads big data challenges
Businesses looking to get real value out of big data, and avoid overwhelming their systems, need to be selective about what they analyze. Read Now
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Article
Big data for big data's sake is a bad idea
IT observers caution organizations against data for data’s sake, urging instead a focus on the best technology for the business problem at hand. Read Now
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Podcast
Podcast: How does the term ‘big data’ affect analytics tools?
The market for big data analytics tools remains fragmented, but users are expecting consolidation in the near future. Listen Now
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Article
Big data volume must be balanced with analytics needs
Many businesses implementing big data analytics applications focus on the size of their data sets, when what they should really focus on is whether they have the right data. Read Now
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Article
Data-driven decision making must be part of big data mix
C-level execs need to rely more on data and less on instincts to capitalize on big data technology, said speakers at the 2013 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium. Read Now
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Article
Tech, business savvy both needed on big data analytics programs
Consultant Rick Sherman details the skill sets and roles that he thinks are vital to the success of "big data" analytics initiatives. Technical skills alone aren't enough, he says. Read Now
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Article
Worst practices: What to avoid in big data analytics initiatives
Consultant Rick Sherman details the biggest mistakes to avoid in planning and managing deployments of big data analytics tools, from focusing on the technology to overselling projects. Read Now
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Article
Initiating a big data analytics project: Five steps to take
Choosing the right technology is only half the startup battle on "big data" analytics. Get a list of deployment tips from consultant Lyndsay Wise to help set your organization on the right path. Read Now
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Article
Turning talk into action on big data analytics projects
Putting an effective "big data" analytics plan in place can be a challenging proposition. Consultant Lyndsay Wise offers her advice on what to consider and how to get started. Read Now
4Big data analytics videos
Consultants and experienced users discuss big data analytics technologies and trends in the following videos. Speakers include Colin White, president and founder of BI Research; William McKnight, president of McKnight Consulting Group; and Wayne Eckerson, director of TechTarget's BI Leadership Research unit.
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Video
Shifting the conversation from big data management to analytics
Industry analyst Colin White is tired of all the talk about the three V's of "big data." He instead wants to focus on the use cases -- the analytics -- of big data. Watch Now
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Video
Big data analytics helps trucking company track its fleet
In a video Q&A, Timothy Leonard of U.S. Xpress explains how the trucking company uses big data analytics, real-time BI software and mobile BI apps in unison to make important business decisions. Watch Now
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Video
Getting started with big data analytics
In a video interview, consultant William McKnight provides an explanation of "big data" basics: what big data is and the issues that are involved in managing and analyzing it. Watch Now
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Video
Big data analytics combines mix of old, new technologies
In a video interview, business intelligence analyst Wayne Eckerson offers tips on using big data analytics software and related big data technology. He also gives his view of what big data really is. Watch Now
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Video
Is there something real behind the big data analytics hype?
Is there real value to be gained by analyzing "big data"? And what challenges does big data present to organizations? Consultant Jill Dyche answers those questions and more in a video interview. Watch Now
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Video
Tips for effective management of analytics programs
Successful analytics managers mix business blue and IT red skills, TechTarget's Wayne Eckerson says in discussing his new book on analytical leaders. Watch Now
5Big data analytics quiz
Take this brief quiz to test what you've learned about big data analytics best practices.