As the year comes to a close, it's natural for enterprises to think about their plans for data operations in the coming year. When it comes to "Big Data" such thinking could help an organization commit to an IT modernization timeline more fully. Forbes' Howard Baldwin discusses one of the key things that the big data industry needs to remember as it grows: patience.
Citing both recent research and an article for ZDNet, Baldwin says that enterprises that take their time in deploying big data solutions are less likely to see disastrous mistakes arise during the process. Instead, testing and re-evaluating helps save time and effort later, with implementers gaining feedback along the way.
Randy Bean of New Vantage Partners says something similar in an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal in which he encourages Big Data customers to think about the future. While it's important to engage with it now, it should be with the knowledge that the best is yet to come.
"We cannot yet see or fully appreciate where Big Data will be most impactful," he writes. "The practical benefits of the Internet have played out in ways sometimes more powerful, yet different, than many of the earliest forecasts." Towards the conclusion of his piece, he adds that "only as new skills, approaches, and expertise supersede and meld with traditional approaches will the practical impact of Big Data be felt in full."
As part of this preparation, businesses should arm themselves with the tools needed to keep older mainframe applications relevant. A legacy system modernization plan that anticipates changes but allows for a solid timeline of integration will make your company stronger in the long run.