Big Data for SMEs is no longer a futuristic concept, it’s a practical opportunity. In this episode of Leaseweb Tech Talk, host Pamily Suban and Gabriele Zanon, Product Manager at Leaseweb, discuss how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can harness Big Data and analytics to make smarter decisions, improve performance, and stay competitive.
Whether you’re managing an e-commerce store, developing connected devices, or analyzing user behavior, the right storage solution is the foundation for effective data management.
What Is Big Data, and Why It Matters for SMEs
As Gabriele explains, Big Data refers to large volumes of unstructured, unprocessed data that can deliver valuable insights when analyzed properly.
“Many people think Big Data is only for large enterprises,” he explains. “But thanks to advances in technology and storage, even SMEs can manage and analyze massive datasets without huge costs.”
Big Data for SMEs isn’t just about scale, it’s about how effectively you can collect, process, and interpret the information that drives your business.
The 5 Vs of Big Data
To get real value from Big Data, you first need to understand its five key characteristics, the Five Vs:
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Volume: The total amount of data being generated.
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Velocity: The speed at which new data arrives.
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Variety: The different types and formats of data (videos, text, images, audio).
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Veracity: The reliability and quality of the data.
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Value: The insights and business outcomes derived from analyzing it.
Understanding these factors helps SMEs choose the right storage infrastructure to handle their data efficiently.
The Role of Storage in Big Data for SMEs
Big Data management is impossible without reliable, scalable storage solutions. In the past, companies needed massive data centers to process Big Data. Today, cloud, hybrid, and edge storage solutions make it more accessible and affordable.
“If you don’t need real-time analytics,” Gabriele notes, “object storage offers excellent scalability and cost efficiency per gigabyte.”
To learn more about how cloud and on-premise setups compare, check out our related blog:
Cloud vs. On-Prem Storage: Which One Fits Your Business?
Data Lake vs Data Warehouse: What’s the Difference?
A data lake stores unprocessed, raw data, while a data warehouse contains processed, structured data optimized for queries.
“You don’t perform queries on unprocessed data,” Gabriele explains. “First, you refine and process it, that’s why both environments are necessary.”
However, without proper data management, a data lake can turn into a data swamp, where disorganized information becomes difficult to access and analyze.
For more background, see Wikipedia’s Big Data definition.
Choosing the Right Big Data Setup for Your SME
Each business has unique requirements based on its data type, volume, and speed of processing. Object storage often provides the best combination of scalability and cost efficiency, but hybrid or on-prem setups may suit others better.
“That’s why understanding the Five Vs is so important,” says Gabriele. “It’s how companies define their storage needs, by understanding their data first.”
If you’d like to explore storage options for your business, visit our Object Storage page for more details on scalable, pay-as-you-go data solutions.
Final Thoughts
Big Data for SMEs isn’t a luxury anymore, it’s a competitive advantage. With the right storage infrastructure and analytics strategy, small and medium-sized businesses can extract value from their data, improve performance, and make smarter decisions.
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