Business Data Storage and Management Technologies are Building Blocks for Big Data

Businesses are storing more types of data in greater volumes than ever before. Building on traditional data storage and management technologies, big data systems have emerged as vital enterprise assets. Here, we look at key big data building blocks.

Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS)

An RDBMS is a database management system (DBMS) based on the relational model. In an RDBMS, data is stored in tables; relationships among data are also stored in tables. This allows stored data to be accessed or reassembled in different ways without having the change data tables. Users access and manipulate data in RDBMS using query languages such Structured Query Language (SQL). Most popular databases currently in use are based on the relational database model.

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

Network attached storage systems are networked appliances that contain one or more hard drives that can be shared with multiple, heterogeneous computers. Their specialized role within networks is to store and serve files. NAS disk drives typically support built in data protection mechanisms including redundant storage containers or redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID). NAS enables file serving responsibilities to be separated from other servers on the network and typically provides faster data access than traditional file servers.

Storage Area Networks

A SAN is a dedicated network that provides access to various types of storage devices including tape libraries, optical jukeboxes, and disk arrays. To servers and other devices in the network, a SAN's storage devices look like locally attached devices. Because it is specifically designed for storage communications, Fibre Channel is often used for SAN interconnections. SANs can be centralized or distributed within enterprise networks depending on required computing requirements.

Data Warehouse (DW)

A DW is a database used for reporting and analysis. The data in a DW is uploaded from other operational systems. Metadata, data about the data, is also stored in the DW. Data warehouses can be subdivided into data marts that store subsets of data from the DW. A data mart is similar to a partition in a traditional database. DW data is cleaned, transformed, catalogued and made available for use by managers and other business professionals for decision support, market research, data mining, online analytical processing (OLAP), and other forms of business intelligence (BI).

Business Intelligence (BI)

BI technologies provide current, predictive, and historical views of business operations. Because BI aims to improve business decision making, BI systems are often classified as decision support systems (DSS). Technologies often identified as BI technologies include benchmarking, business analytics, business performance management, data mining, event processing, predictive analytics, and text mining.

Conclusion

Big data systems rely on a range of existing data storage and management technologies that are already well established as part of enterprise information systems.

The Primary Differences Between Hubs and Switches

Both hubs and switches are useful devices for expanding your network's capability. While they are quite similar, hubs and switches have a fundamental difference that makes switches more useful to optimize your network.

What is a switch?

A switch is a small hardware device that splits a local area network, or LAN connection into multiple LAN connections. Think of it as a power strip for broadband Internet since it turns one live connection into several. Switches cannot convert wide area network, or WAN connections into LAN connections. They are limited to operating within the LAN portion of the network. In addition, switches have internal processing that allows them to identify the sender and receiver of a data packet. Since switches can prioritize packets and send them only where needed, they improve the network's overall performance.

What is a hub?

A hub serves the exact same function as a network switch. Hubs take a LAN connection and convert it into multiple LAN connections. However, hubs lack the capability to identify and prioritize packets, hindering network performance when compared to switches.

How many Ethernet ports can be added through hubs and switches?

Each individual hub or switch often has from four to eight ports, depending on the price point. However, the maximal capability you can add through hubs and switches is limited only by the serving capacity of the router. You can "daisy-chain" switches and hubs to add as many ports as you require.

Which is more expensive, a hub or a switch?

Hubs are typically cheaper than switches since switches have the added capability of data packet management. For your network, choose a hub if you're on a budget and need only LAN-splitting capability. Choose a switch if you're looking to maintain your network's maximal speed over several LAN ports.

Hubs and switches provide an easy way to expand the LAN ports in your network. Switches are higher priced, but they provide a solid way to maintain your network's performance thanks to packet management. For those on a budget, hubs split your LAN in reliable fashion.

Operating Your Wireless Router on a Standard Channel

Most modern wireless router standards for Wi-Fi assume that the router uses the standard 2.4-Ghz band for data transmission. Unfortunately, the proliferation of wireless devices has caused the 2.4-Ghz band to become extremely crowded in many places where competing networks and devices are common. This causes your wireless network to be slow or to drop data and connections. While the newer dual-band wireless router solutions offer a way to use the less common 5-Ghz band to work around these issues, there are still some tricks that help keep your 2.4-Ghz network running at the best possible speed.

DO: Place your router as centrally as possible

Wireless signals decay with distance, so it's important to make sure your router is as central as possible to the area where you use your network. This helps insure that your router is the strongest signal source in the area and your signal is subject to the minimum of interference.

DO: Use a wireless bridge or repeater to extend your signal

Sometimes it's not possible to be close enough to the router to eliminate interference due to architectural concerns or simple distance. In this case, a wireless repeater or bridge boosts the signal in these areas and helps keep your network available. This is a great way to re-use an older router if you have recently upgraded or have one handy. Most routers are configurable to operate in a repeater mode for exactly this purpose.

DON'T: Leave your network unsecured

Unsecured networks are sometimes slower than secured networks due to either other devices accidentally attaching to the network or other people deliberately taking advantage of the free access point. Securing your network with a password both prevents many privacy and security concerns and keeps unauthorized devices from taking your bandwidth and crowding your network.

DON'T: Use an outdated wireless standard

Virtually all wireless routers implement some version of the 802.11 wireless router standards. Newer versions like 802.11g, 802.11n and 802.11ac sometimes see considerable performance and stability boosts even in the standard 2.4-Ghz channel. Make sure both your router and any communicating devices are using the latest version of this standard that they support. You typically are able to set your router to the latest possible standard as the standards are backward-compatible, except to much older devices.

Operating your router on the standard 2.4-Ghz frequency is sometimes frustrating in places with a lot of interference or where there are many competing networks. In some cases, nothing other than a switch to a dual-band device helps. However, keeping your router optimally placed and supported by bridges and repeaters makes a considerable difference, as does securing your network and making certain your devices are using the latest 802.11 standards.

Networking 101: Router Versus Switch

Switches and routers are basic components of networking that work to connect a series of computers and other devices on a network. Routers and switches connect different devices and let them communicate with each other. They are used in small to large sized businesses, schools and other organizations. Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each option to see when each one is appropriate to use. Compare router vs switch pros and cons to expand your networking knowledge.

What are the advantages of using a router?

Routers are used to connect networks to other networks. Routers are advantageous when a company or organization wants to connect multiple preexistent networks to increase the productivity of its workers and expedite the data transfer process. A router sends out packages through the network until it reaches its desired destination. This makes it easy for the package to arrive at the proper place because each package includes the IP address of the destination device.

What are the disadvantages of using a router?

Several routers create transmission delays since more calculations are required to put together the packages. Routers also require more expertise to setup and use. Routers are typically used when you have several large networks to connect. They are best setup by a seasoned professional. A router is also expensive.

What are the advantages of using a switch?

A switch keeps MAC address records of all the connected devices. This minimizes network response times because it knows exactly where to send a frame when it is received. The switch knows where every device is located, making it quicker and easier to transmit data. A switch is also beneficial for high bandwidth usage. Every user receives the maximum amount of bandwidth regardless of the amount of PCs transmitting data throughout the network.

What are the disadvantages of using a switch?

A switch is only used for connecting a wired network, meaning that you are not able to connect multiple computers over a wireless signal. This limits the amount of uses for a network switch. It connects to networks that are wired to the wall, as opposed to computers that are connected through a Wi-Fi signal. This works well for companies or organizations that do not use wireless connections, but it limits companies that connect through a wireless signal or want to connect multiple networks.

The router vs switch comparison is important for setting up a proper network connection. Use these tips to decide whether a router or switch is best for your organization. Several organizations use both routers and switches to maximize worker productivity and network efficiency.