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Analysis of big data allows analysts, researchers and business users to make better and faster
decisions using data that was previously inaccessible or unusable. Businesses can use advanced
analytics techniques such as text analytics, machine learning, predictive analytics, data mining,
statistics and natural language processing to gain new insights from previously untapped data
sources independently or together with existing enterprise data.
Big data cannot be processed and analyzed using traditional data processing tools as the data
is not only voluminous but also unstructured, e.g., our posts, instant messages and chats,
photographs that we share through various sites, our tweets, blog articles, news items, opinion
polls and their comments, audio/video chats, etc.

12.3.1 Characteristics of Big Data

Big data is distinguishable from traditional data on the basis of the following five important
characteristics as shown in Fig. 12.10.
(a) Volume

Volume is one of the characteristics of big data. We already know that big data indicates
huge ‘volumes’ of data that is being generated on a daily basis from various sources like
social media platforms, business processes, machines, networks, human interactions, etc.
Such a large amount of data is stored in data warehouses.
(b) Velocity

Velocity essentially refers to the speed at which data is being created in real-time. In a
broader prospect, it comprises the rate of change, linking of incoming datasets at varying
speeds and activity bursts.

Velocity
The speed at which data is emanating and changes
are coourring between diverse datasets

Value Volume
The value that can be derived The sheer volume of data being
from accerssing and analysing generated every second
big data
5 Vs of
Big Data

Veracity Variety
The descrepancies found in data A combination of data types that
are being dumped into the system
Emerging Trends

Fig. 12.10: Characteristics of Big Data

(c) Variety
Variety of big data refers to structured, unstructured and semi-structured data that is
gathered from multiple sources. While in the past, data could only be collected from
spreadsheets and databases, today data comes in an array of forms such as emails, PDFs,
photos, videos, audios, SM posts, so on and so forth. Variety is one of the important
characteristics of big data.

12.7