What is Data Streaming?
Author: Carl Parker
Release Date: 09/06/2023
Increasingly, it is clear that the next generation of software development won’t be about creating a one-time application for dedicated computers but rather building stream-processing applications for data-centre environments. The adoption of streaming systems like those offered by our technology partner Confluent, is consistent with this trend.
As a technology that allows applications to operate in real time, data streaming is crucial for modern organisations in almost every industry. So what is data streaming and how does it work?
In short, data streaming is a process of continuously transferring and processing data in real-time or near-real-time. In data streaming, information is continuously generated, processed, and transmitted in a seamless flow from the source to the destination. This is made possible by delivering the data in small, continuous chunks. This differs from traditional batch processing, which processes large sets of data at once, often overnight or on a regular schedule.
With so many sources of data for business to track in 2023, it has become almost impossible to track this reliably without processes such as data streaming.
What are the benefits of Data Streaming?
The main advantage of utilising data streaming is the speed with which it provides information when compared to pre-existing processes.
Data can be analysed as it is generated, meaning companies can make faster decisions on any number of crucial use cases, including fraud detection and customer activity.
Data streaming also eliminates the need for batch processing, which enterprise businesses can no longer afford to wait for, due to the constant flow of actionable data. For the purposes of systems troubleshooting and real-time event data monitoring, these organisations require high levels of visibility and need the data sooner rather than later.
In addition, these organisation-specific use cases and requirements can easily scale up or down based on the volume of data being generated, providing flexibility and cost-effectiveness for that business.
Apache Kafka and Confluent are able to power everything from multiplayer games and social media feeds, to stock trading platforms and GPS tracking. If you are interested in finding out more about their data streaming capabilities across an infinite number of use cases, read their ebook titled: ‘Unlock Your Data’s Full Potential With Streaming Data Pipelines’.
More Resources like this one:
Somerford's Added Value Explained
Partner & Customer Testimonials |
Business Value Panel Discussion
Why Confluent and What is it Used for?
— Confluent Cloud and Kafka Explained
The Somerford Technology Podcast
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