A data ecosystem is a network of interconnected systems, technologies, and processes that allows a company to collect, manage, process, and store data. It makes up the entire environment that a company’s data exists in. A data ecosystem includes everything from the source of the data, to where the data is stored, to the systems through which the data is processed and analyzed, to the people who interact with the data. An effective data ecosystem will create an environment where data flows seamlessly through it to allow higher level data analysis that creates value and drives more efficient decision making.
All of the following are considered part of a data ecosystem:
- Data Sources: anywhere where data within an ecosystem originates
- Data Storage: the systems and technologies used to store and maintain data
- Data Integration Processes: any tools and processes used to combine data from different sources
- Data Processing Tools: tools that turn raw, unsorted data into meaningful, readable formats
- Data Analytics Tools: tools and platforms used to extract insights from data sets
- Data Governance Policies: any organizational policies that ensure the data is high quality, secure, and compliant with any necessary regulations
- Data Consumers: anybody actually using the data to make decisions or act on what the data shows
- Data Security Measures: any policies or tools in place to ensure data security, protected from unauthorized access or other breaches