Big Data Technologies

Abstract

Big Data has emerged as a new technological paradigm during the last few years, because of the need to master the occurring exponential growth of data. Big Data technologies offer toolboxes in the form of frameworks that deal with the data explosion created by the ever-growing number of applications, mobile devices, sensors, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in conjunction with the wish to have a better overview, receive answers to questions, and measure behavior and operational complexity of today’s systems. Big Data refers to large datasets and dataflows whose processing lays beyond the capabilities of traditional information systems and databases. Information like log files, images, messages, transaction records from remote or local application databases, composite distributed data structures, sensor data from remote devices, data from public databases, and IoT devices can be used selectively to enrich existing data to provide clear operational insight and support the recognition of trends and tendencies. Very often, data generated in social media applications are used to measure or extend the impact of specific Internet campaigns for products and services. Big Data is the toolkit that targets the infamous “three Vs” of data, which comprise the three basic characteristics: volume, velocity, and variety. This chapter will explain the basic definitions of Big Data components, provide a list of the technologies used and vendors involved, and show how the 3 Vs can be applied on hand of application examples in tourism.