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Big DataWhy It’s Important and How to Build Networks that Support It

The age of big data has arrived, and it’s having a profound effect on businesses in a wide range of industries. The digital footprints of Internet users continues to create a gold mine of marketing and advertising opportunities, and the information generated by automated and Internet-connected systems yields valuable clues for performance improvements that could save companies millions of dollars.

In essence, big data provides businesses of all sizes with the building blocks they need to uncover insights, discover and predict trends, and ultimately improve process efficiencies while enhancing profitability. However, the key word in the term is “big”—managing and exploring such data repositories requires advanced networking capabilities with the speed and power to handle these massive stores of information.

Building a Big Data NetworkExploiting the potential offered by big data demands the implementation of network infrastructure that can handle it. Companies that are still relying on aging, outdated equipment aren’t in the best position to leverage big data, and as such, they risk putting themselves at a competitive disadvantage.

Bridging this gap requires a carefully designed and strategically optimized networking and IT infrastructure resources. Specifically, big data networks share five common characteristics:

• Massive storage capabilities: Over the past few years, physical and virtual storage capabilities have risen sharply while prices have declined. Flash storage has emerged as a key strategy in big data applications.

• Fast servers: Quicker processors, larger data caches, and higher-performing memory features are among the key requirements of servers being used for big data purposes.

• Upgraded networks: A growing range of technologies, including Ethernet fabrics, can be used to help legacy networks succeed in the virtualized cloud-based environments that are continuing to emerge.

• Scalability: Network management is moving towards centralized models, and that is supporting optimized scalability—something any purpose-built network will need.

• Connectivity: With growing numbers of connected devices generating data and with the Internet of Things (IoT) on the horizon, mining the information produced by these devices will continue to grow in importance.

Big data networks must also be powered by reliable, high-performing infrastructure, and this is where businesses have a wide range of options. However, it appears as though fiber optics are in the best position to meet the data processing needs of today and tomorrow alike.

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Big DataWhy It’s Important and How to Build Networks that Support It

Why Fiber Optics Are Making a Big ComebackFiber optic technologies were in favor for a brief period of time during the dot-com boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, it receded into the background as less expensive and cumbersome alternatives became available. Yet, no system since has matched fiber optics’ ability to handle massive amounts of data at lightning-fast speeds. As such, fiber optics have been making a comeback in recent years, since it is the best existing technology for handling large data loads and advanced networking needs, both now and in the years ahead.

Big data is a big deal, and the enterprises of today need network tools that allow them to take full advantage of it. Visit Spectrum to learn how big data is continuing to transform the business world, and how reliable networking and connectivity can support it.