Hadoop

Hadoop is a software framework that’s used for storing and processing big data in a distributed computing environment. In the realm of business intelligence and data analytics, Hadoop is like a powerhouse that can handle massive amounts of data from various sources, manage different types of data, and run complex analytical tasks. It’s made up of a storage part called Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) and a processing part known as MapReduce.

Hadoop allows businesses to store huge volumes of data in a scalable way – it can keep growing as more data is collected. When it comes to processing this data, Hadoop can split tasks across many computers for faster analysis. This is handy when a firm wants to crunch through data to get insights about things like customer behavior patterns or operational efficiencies, without investing in super expensive, high-end hardware.

The beauty of Hadoop lies in its flexibility and its ability to work with various data formats – from structured data like you’d find in databases to unstructured data like text or images. It’s open-source too, which means a community of developers is continuously working to improve it. For companies swimming in data, Hadoop is a crucial tool that helps turn that tsunami of information into actionable insights.