Data Infrastructure
What is the Data Infrastructure?
Data Infrastructure is the collection of hardware, software, networks and processes that are used to store, manage and process data. It is designed to facilitate the use of data for analysis and decision making in an organisation. Data Infrastructure includes components such as databases, data warehouses, data lakes, and analytics platforms. It also involves the implementation of security protocols to ensure the safety and privacy of data.
What are the components of modern Data Infrastructure in 2022?
- Cloud Storage Solutions: Cloud storage solutions (e.g. Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Storage) provide a secure and reliable platform for storing data and making it available for business operations.
- Data Lakes: Data lakes are centralized repositories that store vast amounts of structured and unstructured data from multiple sources in its native format. They enable easy access to large-scale analytics and insights.
- Data Warehouses: Data warehouses are specialized databases used to store historical data and facilitate reporting and analysis. They are designed to support decision making by providing access to timely, accurate, integrated information.
- Streaming Platforms: Streaming platforms such as Kafka, Apache Spark Streaming, and Flink enable real-time processing of large volumes of data
- Data Integration Tools: Data integration tools (e.g. ETL tools, data virtualization) enable data to be moved between systems and consolidated into a single source of truth.
- Analytics Platforms: Analytics platforms such as Tableau, Power BI, and Qlik provide users with self-service capabilities to explore data and generate insights.
- Artificial Intelligence Platforms: AI/ML platforms such as TensorFlow, Azure ML, and AWS SageMaker enable the development and deployment of AI-driven solutions for business applications.
- Security Solutions: Security solutions such as encryption, authentication, identity management, and single sign-on ensure data remains secure at all times and is only accessible to authorized personnel.