The year 2013 would see large-scale adoption of big data technologies, following a few years of experimentation and early adopter successes, according to research and analysis firm Gartner.

According to a global Gartner survey of IT leaders, 42 per cent of respondents stated that they had invested in big data technology, or were planning to do so within a year.

“Organisations have increased their understanding of what big data is and how it could transform the business in novel ways. The new key questions have shifted to ‘What are the strategies and skills required?’ and ‘How can we measure and ensure our return on investment?’, ’’said Doug Laney, Research Vice-President at Gartner.

“Most organisations are still in the early stages, and few have thought through an enterprise approach or realised the profound impact that big data will have on their infrastructure, organisations and industries,’’ Laney added.

Organisations are undertaking big data initiatives in a rapidly shifting technological landscape with disruptive forces that produce and demand new data types and new kinds of information processing. They turn to big data technology for two reasons: necessity and conviction.

“This makes IT and business leaders worry that they are behind competitors in launching their big data initiatives. Not to worry, ideas and opportunities at this time are boundless, and some of the biggest big data ideas come from adopting and adapting ideas from other industries," said Frank Buytendijk, Research Vice-President at Gartner.

“Still, this makes it challenging to cut through the hype when evaluating big data technologies, approaches and project alternatives,” Buytendijk added.

Despite these challenges, Gartner predicts that by 2015, 20 per cent of Global 1000 organisations will have established a strategic focus on “information infrastructure’’ equal to that of application management.

rajesh.kurup@thehindu.co.in

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