How much data is out there?
As this blog is all about data, and about the advent of the truly “Big Data” world, exactly how much data are we talking about? Below is one source of information about how much data actually exists today and how much is projected to exist in the near future.
How much data exists and is projected to exist?
Aydin, O. (2021). Spatial Data Science: Transforming Our Planet [Conference presentation]. 2021 Los Angeles Geospatial Summit, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Because our blog and book is also about encouraging people to check data sources, I would like to add that the above information came from the following: Seagate’s annual data report: https://www.seagate.com/our-story/data-age-2025/ There is an abridged version in this article from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomcoughlin/2018/11/27/175-zettabytes-by-2025/?sh=3fe81b4d5459.
These figures are staggering, and from these figures spring many questions: How much of the above data is geospatial data? How much is not geospatial yet, but is potentially mappable? Which data should be mapped? Take a look at the small percentage, say, of tweets that are geotagged. Should more be geotagged? What would we gain by doing so?
More importantly: What will we do with all this data? Will we be able to sort out the important from the trivial to continue to advance society in health, safety, and sustainability? How must geotechnologies evolve to remain viable in the big data world? I look forward to your comments below.
–Joseph Kerski
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I am interested in how the predicted rise in data storage (cloud and traditional) will contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Data storage/serving comes with a cost to the environment: https://energyinnovation.org/2020/03/17/how-much-energy-do-data-centers-really-use/
Thanks James for the article and the point you are raising. There is assuredly a cost for everything. I have a video on https://esri.com/ourearth filmed inside a supercomputer center for example. I would say that GIS overall is helping make the planet far more energy efficient than in the past with improved city planning, routing of vehicles, and so on. And even focusing on cloud storage vs the manufacture of millions of CD-ROMs and tape drives in the past, I would say it is saving natural resources. But your point is a good reminder that few things that we humans do on the planet are without any impact whatsoever.
Good points both!
Thanks Bruce!