Data in Motion Drives Enterprise Change
IT Data Solutions
Data in motion involves several different situations that might require different architectures, applications and management techniques. Here’s what you need to know.
Previously, collected data remained in one place. It arose from a transaction system, went to a warehouse or mart, and remained there for users to access and analyze. Today, however, data is often in motion. It may originate in a sensor on a moving vehicle, then is aggregated, sent to the cloud, into a data lake, then out into the world to guide actions and decisions. Sometimes action is taken on this data at the edge or at the point of origination in the sensor or the device.
Contemporary business offers many settings where data is in motion, including:
- Connected supply chains in which key components and goods all generate sensor data, allowing for real-time optimization, anomaly detection, problem prediction and maintenance.
- Patient and consumer wellness monitoring, in which electronic health record (EHR) systems, wearables, home monitoring, etc., produce information on current state of health. Telehealth options mean clinician visits can happen on the go.
- In sports and entertainment venues, data in motion offers fans real-time ticket availability, special experiences, and navigation tools for crowds.
Why is more data now on the move?
There are several contributing factors to why data is increasingly in motion. The Internet of Things has taken off, and sensors on products, pallets, and machines churn out data. Mobile data and communication speeds are also both growing tremendously.
Edge AI chips are poised for extensive roll-out, with more than 750 million expected to be sold in 2020 (sales set to exceed $1.5 billion).These devices will create sensor-generated data to be stored, processed, analyzed, and acted upon close to or at the edge of networks. 5G wireless networks will eventually dominate the marketplace on speed, latency, penetration, and capacity.
On the customer front, most have smartphones, and expect to use them to interact with businesses for convenience and mobility — especially as COVID-19 has increased the need for virtual and intelligent interactions with work, shopping, health, and entertainment.
But sensors, mobile devices, and virtual living are not the only factors driving data in motion. Organizations need new tools to consume and make sense of all the moving data, and there have been amazing innovations in analytics and AI. Together, these innovations and trends make data-in-motion seem inevitable.
Rearchitecting data for motion
Companies may need to transform and modernize their data architectures to master data in motion. The time-honored architectures that worked for non-mobile data are not well-suited to mobile data. Data in motion architectures can be complex, requiring multiple layers for analyzing and acting on data; they need multiple local area networks and a wide area network.
