Chapter 8.4

Data Architecture: A High-Level Perspective

Abstract

Data architecture began with simple storage devices. But soon, the need to store lots of
data and to access the data quickly caused these early devices to disappear. In its place
came disk storage. With disk storage, data could be accessed directly. But the need for
managing volumes of data surpassed that of disk storage. One day, there appeared big
data. And with big data came the ability to store effectively unlimited amounts of data.
But as big data grew, the older day-to-day systems did not go away. There began to be a
need for a rational way to interface legacy systems to big data.

Keywords

Storage device; Paper tape; Punched cards; Disk storage direct access of data; Big data;
Interfacing corporate data and big data

One of the aspects of architecture is to provide a high-level perspective. For a high-level
perspective, data architecture looks like the diagram seen in Fig. 8.4.1.

Chapter 8.4: Data Architecture: A High-Level Perspective