Test your unstructured data storage knowhow

Data growth continues its upward spiral. IDC estimates the global datasphere will hit 175 zettabytes by 2025, and 80% of that volume will be unstructured data.

If all data would just fit in relational databases, managing, searching and storing it wouldn't be much of a problem. But unstructured data doesn't adhere to traditional data models and doesn't work in a relational database. It's typically not data coming out of financial systems and business applications, but is rather a more free-form type of data, such as audio, video and image files; sensor data; and text-based data, such as social media and emails. Unstructured data storage and management raises unique issues and challenges.

It isn't easy to manage and can be difficult to search, organize and analyze as well. Those capabilities are critical to making effective use of the massive amount of unstructured data enterprises collect and store, however. Without the ability to search, organize and analyze data, it becomes worthless.

There's a huge market of unstructured data management and storage products available. To pick the right ones for your organization, you must understand the requirements involved in effectively managing unstructured data. Do you know what features to look for when putting together an enterprise-scale data storage system that can effectively handle all your unstructured data? Are you aware of the challenges to watch out for? The emerging role of flash? Where metadata and machine learning fit in? Whether to consider a NAS or an object storage system?

Take our quiz below to find out if you're as knowledgeable about unstructured data storage and management as you should be.