A new perspective to data processing: Big Data

Big data is data that exceeds the processing capacity of traditional database systems. The data is too voluminous, moves too fast, or is impossible to be managed by the structures of existing database architectures. Hence there must be an alternative way to process these data. This paper outlines the fundamental aspects of Big Data along with its opportunities and challenges. The paper builds on some of the most recent findings in the field of data science. It does not aim to cover the entire spectrum of challenges nor to offer definitive answers to those it addresses, but to provide as a reference for further reflection and discussion.