While the defining characteristic of Big Data is that it’s certainly big, with expectations that we will generate over 180 zettabytes of data by 2025, that’s also its biggest downfall. Most new businesses simply don’t have the means or the tools to access and process all the data they need.
It takes an inordinate amount of time, money, and resources to dig through heaps of structured and unstructured data, understand it, and drive actionable insights from it.
Hence, it’s no surprise that Big Data as a Service on cloud (BDaaS) has seen an uptick in demand. It streamlines virtually all data-related processes and allows you to maximize the benefits of big data as a whole. Most importantly, it opens up a world of possibilities for startups.
Find out what BDaaS entails and what you can expect to gain from it.
What is big data as a service on cloud?
To understand what Big Data as a service can do for you, you first need to know what it is. Put plainly –
it’s a cloud-based service that provides access to massive amounts of data and all the software,
warehousing solutions, and infrastructure necessary for the analysis and management of big data sets.
BDaaS can offer raw, unstructured data or streamlined API data access, depending on your needs.
Similar to Software as a Service (SaaS) and other aaS tech, BDaaS offers on-demand access to all its relevant products.
What you gain when using BDaaS
Big Data as a Service on the cloud offers unique benefits to startups and small businesses that don’t have the means to build teams of data scientists and develop their own data analytics tools.
Access to structured and unstructured data One of the biggest selling points of BDaaS is that it offers real-time access to both structured and unstructured data types.
Structured data is easy to read, streamlined, and perfect for quantitative analysis. Unstructured data is easier to get by, and although it’s more difficult to keep organized, it provides essential information for any type of qualitative analysis.
Whether you need to gauge consumer trends, assess market changes, or even collect information on the competitors, you need both types of data to get a full picture of your company in context. With BDaaS, you’ll get accurate, up-to-date information in any form necessary.
Simplified data storage
Regardless of your industry, you need data to stay afloat. Competitor data gives you the information you need to improve performance. Consumer data helps you understand your audiences and develop suitable products and services. Employee data keeps you in the loop about your company’s most crucial aspect – its people.
That’s massive amounts of data you need to collect, analyze, and store. A few SSDs and HDDs won’t be enough if you want to save relevant data long-term.
Most BDaaS providers offer scalable plans that deliver simplified data storage solutions. Paying only for the storage you use allows you to collect and store as much information as you need to keep your company running smoothly.
Reduced costs
BDaaS technology provides tremendous data flexibility that can help you cut costs. Instead of collecting and storing gigabytes upon gigabytes of irrelevant data, you’ll only gather and pay for what you need.
Of course, since you’d be getting access to cloud-based software, storage, and more, you won’t need to invest as much in your IT infrastructure.
Streamlined data mapping
Perhaps the most significant benefit of using BDaaS is that you can streamline data mapping, but how do we define the data mapping meaning? In short, it’s the process of consolidating your data and making it uniform across databases.
When collecting data from different sources or storing it in different databases, you’ll find that each system defines the same data differently – using “CA” instead of “California” or “day/month/year” instead of “month/day/year.” Although these are minor inconsistencies, they can compromise the quality of your data analytics and provide you with inaccurate insights. With BDaaS, all data is homogenized and largely uniform, making data mapping a breeze and ensuring more insightful analytics.
Easier data analytics
Depending on the BDaaS provider you choose, you’ll receive access to advanced analytics tools that can help you manage the vast amounts of data you collect. You’ll receive high-quality, up-to-date data that’s largely uniform and stored on a single platform. Hence, it will take less time and resources to perform detailed and accurate analytics.
How to use BDaaS to grow your startup
BDaaS offers unique benefits to companies large and small, boasting a whole host of applications.
Some of the ways you can use it to grow your startup include:
● Casting a wider recruitment net:
With the help of BDaaS, you can find the top talent for your company regardless of where it comes from.
You’ll gain access to global professionals, cast a wider recruitment net, and find ways to get in touch with people who can help you take your company forward;
● Identifying and predicting market trends:
BDaaS can help you collect valuable information you can use to identify and predict market trends. Both structured and unstructured data hold insights that can help you minimize risks, prepare for the changing trends, and future-proof your company;
● Understanding your audiences:
Most commonly, BDaaS is used to understand target markets, assess your target customers’ desires,
interests, wants, and pain points, and deliver products and services that appeal to them.
Final thoughts BDaaS unlocks unique possibilities for startups and small businesses. It helps reduce costs and unlocks access to valuable data that will help your company thrive.