So many times I have been in a situation when I had to compare IoT and
Big Data, sometimes in a debate with friends, sometimes because some
novice inquired and I was never able to put it to them clearly, so I am
writing it for them and for all others who someday somewhere got such
thought. This article is a result of careful study of IoT and
Big Data. Reader's opinion may vary and are welcomed to put their views
and comments about the same. Through this article I am not concluding
anything; I am just trying to present a different perspective to see
both these entities which most people consider two distinct entities. So, let’s start with some basic introduction to IoT and Big Data. Google says "Big Data is an extremely large data set that can be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations". So in layman terms I can compare Big Data to brain (CPU) that processes the data and arrive at some meaningful conclusions.
Whereas for IoT Google says "The internet of things (IoT)
is the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other
items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network
connectivity that enables these objects to collect and exchange data". So I guess it won't be unfair to relate these devices to different sense organs which provides stimulus to human brain.
Now as I am done with the basic understanding of IoT and Big Data, I
can move forward to bigger picture. Consider IoT and Big Data together
and let's try to see them in terms of human analogy.
Big Data -> Brain Sensors -> Sense Organs Sensor Networks -> Nerves uP/ uC -> Heart
So
coming to human life cycle let’s start with childhood, a kid has all
his senses: sharp and strong, these senses become the base of his
experience over which the kid develops his complete personality and then
grows to an adult and as an adult; those past experiences and healthy
senses make him able to compete with the others in the race. So if
someone says Big Data is bigger than IoT then wouldn't it be a
comparison of two things that can't move individually? In fact if you
will put a gun to my head and ask to choose the major one I would choose
IoT as IoT is complete human whereas Big Data is the brain and brain
resides inside human. If you can imagine a human without any senses,
without heart, without nerves no matter how wise he is; will he survive
for long? But a human who is not wise can easily carry his life though
he won't be that effective but he will survive certainly.
Let’s try another way, Big Data is too strong tool and has a great
impact in today’s market I agree, but if I ask about its interaction
with physical world entity then answer would be minimal or almost zero.
It’s a passive concept, it lacks life, but when you add those sensors
and actuators to it and make it interact with the real world entity and
help it grab data from the interaction among those physical world
entities then it becomes active, it becomes dynamic or simply it starts
living. So in other words IoT is a bigger and better version of Big Data
which can interact and respond. So, can’t someone call IoT as an
updated and more powerful version of Big Data?
Please do comment your views and let me know if I am thinking right. Any suggestions and advises are praiseworthy.
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