Chapter 1.1

An Introduction to Data Architecture

Abstract

Corporate data include everything found in the corporation in the way of data. The most
basic division of corporate data is by structured data and unstructured data. As a rule,
there are much more unstructured data than structured data. Unstructured data have two
basic divisions—repetitive data and nonrepetitive data. Big data is made up of
unstructured data. Nonrepetitive big data has a fundamentally different form than
repetitive unstructured big data. In fact, the differences between nonrepetitive big data
and repetitive big data are so large that they can be called the boundaries of the “great
divide.” The divide is so large; many professionals are not even aware that there is this
divide. As a rule, nonrepetitive big data has MUCH greater business value than repetitive
big data.

Keywords

Structured data; Unstructured data; Corporate data; Repetitive data; Nonrepetitive data;
Business value; The great divide of data; Big data

Data architecture is about the larger picture of data and how it fits together in a typical
organization. The natural starting point for looking at the big picture of how data fit
together in a corporation begins naturally enough with all the data in the corporation.

Fig. 1.1.1 depicts symbolically all the data—of every kind—in the corporation.

Fig. 1.1.1 The totality of corporate data.

Fig. 1.1.1 depicts every kind of data found in the corporation. It depicts data generated
by running transactions. It depicts e-mail. It depicts telephone conversations. It depicts
data found in personal computers. It depicts metering data. It depicts office memos. It
depicts contracts, safety reports, and time sheets. It depicts pay ledgers.

Chapter 1.1: An Introduction to Data Architecture