Data integration is the process of integrating data from different sources to create something useful. It all comes down to managing information effectively and making it accessible to the people who need it.
Contents1. All data types have a value2. Increase the value of your data with unification3. Reduce data complexity4. Make your data more available5. Easily collaborate with your data6. Make smarter business choices7. Make your data real-timeData integration developmentsFollow data integration trendsIt is common knowledge that businesses today produce massive volumes of data in their day-to-day operations.
For example, customer services, marketing, sales, and operations will create specific data within a business. And this data is valuable because it can give companies greater insight into improving their business.
Let's now explore seven up-to-date benefits of data integration, whether you're new to the concept or want to enhance your current platform.
All data you receive was created for a specific purpose and can be used in unique ways.
Metadata, structure, and schema represent information in a specific way that no other data format can. Thus, integrating this data from multiple formats brings a variety of expert knowledge to the dataset.
And you can use your different data to improve processes within your business when it is well integrated.
Continuing from the previous section, now that you understand that all of your data can have value, the next step is to bring your data together.
There are various examples of how you can merge data to achieve better end results in many tasks you perform in your business.
For example, you can merge and mine data from providers, or you can create a uniform schema for a group of datasets that have no metadata attached.
Another more understandable way of unification is to add spatial information to non-spatial information, for example. The thing is, you can do a lot with data unification.
Data integration is all about managing complexity, streamlining connections, and making delivering data to any device as easy as possible. This could include creating a data hub that is easy to publish and has little subscription hassle.
In a company, the number of possible interfaces between applications is relative to the number of applications. Therefore, a company with thousands of applications could have up to half a million interfaces.
Data integration reduces all complexity by removing all noise. Instead, it's a process that focuses on the key signals that matter to your business.
Anyone in your company or outside your company can access your data much more easily by centralizing it.
If you can easily access the data, you can also convert it easily. Therefore, you'll be better able to integrate data into your initiatives, share results, and keep data up-to-date if you and others have quick access to it.
This type of data sharing cycle is now essential for creativity and knowledge sharing in modern companies.
Collaboration becomes easier with accessibility.
So when teams have the data in the format they need, it becomes much easier for them to collaborate through better understanding of the data. Prior to its integration, it would have taken a team much longer to understand what the data means and find a use for it.
When you think about it, the built-in data is more comprehensive. That's because it has more contributors, whether it's sharing between internal teams and apps or organizations.
Integrated data ensures transparency of business processes. Giving users the freedom to use your data in any way they choose allows them to have a deeper understanding of the data.
Additionally, navigating through structured repositories that include multiple interconnected datasets is much simpler and more insightful.
When you apply location intelligence to your dataset, for example, it becomes more spatially detailed. It essentially provides new levels of knowledge, which translates into better judgments for your business.
We should also say that integrating with other types can mean that you comply with interoperability requirements, which can save you money.
Finally, open source data formats offer several business benefits that you should consider.
Keeping details up to date is simple with an integrated data solution. An entry can be distributed across all interconnected systems, ensuring data is always up-to-date.
If you're using a server or cloud-based solution as part of your integration plan, you can actually run your data in real time!
A great example of this is that weather stations can integrate sensor data and non-spatial metadata. Then it is easy to output the information to spatial applications like Google Maps, for example.
We've now reviewed the seven benefits of data integration and why it's great for businesses!
But to help you understand a little more, here are a few developments in data integration that you would do well to be aware of:
We know this all sounds daunting. That's why we recommend you hire industry experts and business consultants who are familiar with current trends in data integration.
Additionally, highly skilled IT service management professionals, like Dataseti, for example, will be able to implement everything we've talked about.
Dataseti offers a service called Ivanti Xtraction, where you can see all your data no matter where it comes from. Learn more about Xtraction.
Thank you for going through our seven points on data integration. It might sound a bit complex, but once you start learning the language, everything starts to make sense.
Ultimately, data integration ushers in innovative new eras, because data is one of the world's most valuable assets. So good luck on your data integration journey!
Feel free to check out other informative articles on our blog for more ways to improve your business.
