Data Lakehouse
What is a Data Lakehouse?
A data lakehouse is an integrated data storage system that combines the strengths of data lakes and data warehouses.
It provides a scalable and flexible architecture for storing, processing and analyzing vast amounts of structured and unstructured data.
More specifically, a data lakehouse is a synthesis of the scalable storage of unstructured data from a data lake and the tools from data warehouses.
In simple terms, it’s like having a single place where you can store all your data, regardless of its format or source.
How does a Data Lakehouse work?
A data lakehouse architecture typically relies on a distributed file system, such as Apache Hadoop or Amazon S3.
This raw data can include various types like text files, logs, images, and videos. It can also include structured data.
There is no rigid structure and the data lakehouse allows data to be stored in its native format. To make the data accessible, there is a query engine or processing layer on top of the raw data.
This layer enables users to run SQL-like queries, perform data transformations, and execute analytics tasks.
Benefits of a Data Lakehouse
Centralized Data Storage
With a data lakehouse, organizations can store all their data in one place, eliminating the need for multiple data silos. It promotes a unified and holistic view of data across the enterprise.
Flexibility and Scalability
Data lakehouses can handle large volumes of data and accommodate diverse data formats. They scale horizontally, meaning they can easily handle increasing data volumes and user demands.
Cost-Effective
By leveraging cloud storage and processing capabilities, data lakehouses offer cost advantages compared to traditional data warehousing solutions. They eliminate the need for costly data transformations upfront, enabling organizations to store raw data at a lower cost.
Real-Time Analytics
The ability to process data in real-time or near-real-time is a significant advantage of data lakehouses. It empowers organizations to make faster and data-driven decisions, gaining a competitive edge.
What platforms are available?
There are many technologies available. Here are a selected few:
- AWS Simple Storage Service (S3) is a highly scalable and durable cloud storage service used as a primary storage layer for a data lakehouse.
- Microsoft Azure Data Lake Storage provides a scalable and secure cloud storage solution for a Data Lakehouse.
- Snowflake is a cloud-based data platform that offers a fully-managed and scalable solution for building a data lakehouse.
