As with any technology concept, big data presents its share of challenges and opportunities. So, before you take that big data certification course online, let us have a close look at what challenges and opportunities it comes with:
Challenge 1: Insufficient understanding and enough confusion
When something is new, it can cause some misunderstandings at first. Most companies do not know what big data is yet. So, they do not understand what it entails and requires. So, adoption is next to impossible in their cases. If there is not enough understanding of big data, chances are it won’t be implemented properly. There will be confusion, as well.
When there is uncertainty, companies do not know which technology to use. Would they need to use Spark, Hadoop MapReduce, Cassandra, or HBase?
Challenge 2: It will cost a lot
Since you will implement big data for the first time, it will take a lot of money. Here is where your expenses will go:
- Hardware
- Newly hired employees
- Training for old employees (Big Data training course)
- Electricity
- Software
- Maintenance of frameworks
- Cloud services
- Possible future expansions
Challenge 3: Managing data quality can be tricky
More likely, you will be working with data coming from various sources. So, you may meet with issues on data integration. Not only that, but you may also be dealing with unreliable data. Even though you get so much from Big Data, you still cannot be 100% sure of the information you are getting.
You also have to convert the data you get to insights you can actually use in real life. You must know what to do with the bulk of information you get. Management also involves being able to handle possible upscaling shortly.
Challenge 4: You may have to deal with security issues
When you are just starting out, you may not be investing in digital security as you should. You will be too busy with other details. So, you may expose your precious data to possible security breaches.
How about the opportunities presented by Big Data? With all the challenges presented above, is it really worth pursuing?
Opportunity 1: You have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips
When you are using Big Data, you can access all kinds of information about potential consumers, competitors, and more. All you need to do is analyze the information so that you can make the most of it.
Opportunity 2: It allows smaller businesses to go online
If your small company can use Big Data, you can go online with the information you have. So, you don’t have to feel so limited. Even if you feel like you don’t have the scope of big companies in terms of product offering, you can at least gain more knowledge for better insights.
Opportunity 3: It enables real-time analytics
You don’t have to scour through your records just to find the answer to your query. If Big Data is handled correctly, you can easily access not only information but also quick analysis.
Opportunity 4: Decisions are made with facts in mind
Because you have so much information at hand, you can quickly make informed decisions. These decisions can help you boost your company. You can improve the quality of your products, according to customer feedback. Big Data also allows your processes to be more efficient, thus reducing waste.
Conclusion
Big Data paves the path towards the future. It will help you gain access to critical knowledge that will improve your company. You just need to invest the right amount in implementing Big Data responsibly, backed by high-quality security and well-trained employees. You can also utilize existing employees who are willing to go through a big data training course. Make use of existing talents and hone them, while also setting up a maintenance team.