Navigating The High Seas Of Data

After the term "big data" became mainstream, the related concept of a "data lake" also gained currency, applying to repositories of information so large they were reminiscent of vast bodies of water. Not unlike the secret denizens of a mysterious Scottish loch, hidden in the murky depths or threading unobserved among the currents coursing through its farthest volumes, there could be elusive secrets of great value lurking undiscovered. However, according to 2016 Forrester data, nearly 75% of all data retained by an organization is never analyzed or used. I've witnessed this process firsthand, having worked in the data storage industry since 1990 -- at the first dedicated fileserver company (Auspex Systems), and then during the glory days (1995–2007) at NetApp before embarking on a series of startups and a stint at EMC (now Dell). Through it all, I saw compounding data growth on platforms and in circumstances that expanded at astonishing rates to keep up.