It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that this is a hyperconnected world – and data is the lifeline of this connection. However, the true value emerges when this amassed data is meticulously integrated and skillfully transformed into actionable insights. It is at this juncture that data transcends into something truly meaningful, becoming a pivotal catalyst for business operations transformation.
What is Data integration?
Data integration simply refers to the process that combines disparate data sourced from various collection points, in different formats, structures and locations, into a unified and coherent view. This creates a seamless flow of data and enables your business to access, analyze, and use the information like they came from a single source.
Data integration It flows through different stages:
- Data collection from various sources (databases, applications, cloud services, external partners, etc)
- Data transformation or converting data into a common format, standardizing units of measurement, ensuring data consistency, and cleansing (removing errors, duplicates, and inconsistencies)
- Data storage in a central repository or data warehouse, making it easily accessible for analysis and reporting
- Data delivery to users, applications, or systems that require it through APIs, dashboards, and reports, and sometimes
Data integration also covers real-time processing for businesses that need up-to-the-minute information. The significance of data integration in informed decision making today is evident from trends indicating that the global data integration market, roughly valued at USD 11.91 billion in 2022, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% between 2023 and 2030.