Big Data; Big Open Tools
There are numerous software companies looking to build the next great technology/experience. Each has its way trying to get there, but many are using similar technologies. Those often used technologies are often free.
How is this possible?
The reason for this that many companies make use of open source software. Open source software is software that can be accessed and modified by anyone. It is not restricted to a particular person, group, or organization. Examples of this notion include Windows, Oracle, etc. They were created and kept up to date by a singular group. The proprietary software is then only accessible to users if the license agreement occurs.
In contrast, open source makes its source code accessible to any interested partner. In many cases, open source software allows its users the ability to use it as they wish. This can be appealing to companies as provides greater control. Being open sourced allows developers greater knowledge and control over how their applications are being affected by the software they are using. If they find issues with the software then it is possible to edit it without the need to help with a request to have a change happen.
Another potential benefit for open source software is an expected enhancement in security. A reason to believe is that anyone can see and often times making changes to the source code. This would likely mean that security issues are more quickly to be picked up given the number of eyes on the code.
One particularly popular tool is Apache Spark. This tool is maintained by the Apache Software Foundation, which then licenses its software as part of the Apache License. The Apache Foundation and its software options include data management, servers, and search engine platform.
Companies of all forms are filled with massive amounts of data. With continued increases in data has come with a desire to find insights in that data. However, data by itself is not enough. Instead, that information needs to be properly stored, streamed, and retrieved. That is where tools like Apache Spark come into play. By being open source, Apache Spark can be adapted to meet particular company needs. The other option is to have the task be more managed. That can help as a service through services like Amazon EMR, Google Cloud Dataproc, and others.
So while many companies build proprietary technologies and tools, many open source tools still lay the foundation of many of the data streams that happen at technology firms.
References:
- https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-source
- https://databricks.com/spark/about
- https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/wiring-the-open-source-enterprise
