Data fragmentation is a critical issue for businesses of all sizes, yet often overlooked due to its complexity. This is especially true for those businesses that use multiple databases, cloud services, and platforms to store and access data. Fragmentation can occur when data is moved, replicated, or stored in multiple locations. This can lead to discrepancies between versions of the same record and a higher risk of errors in data updates. Fragmentation can also lead to increased time and costs associated with managing, analyzing, and using the data.
Understanding the causes and effects of data fragmentation, as well as the appropriate strategies to combat it, is essential for any business looking to ensure the accuracy and integrity of its data. In this blog post, we’ll explore the various causes of data fragmentation and look at some best practices for addressing it. We’ll also discuss the potential consequences of leaving data fragmentation unresolved, such as compromised data security, decreased operational efficiency, and financial losses. By the end
distributed database | fragmentation | Distributed systems | Lec-67| Bhanu Priya
Importance of addressing mass data fragmentation
The fragmentation of large amounts of data can deplete your resources and reduce employee productivity. By addressing data fragmentation and creating a system where your data is organized into a comprehensive infrastructure, you can streamline employee tasks and add more storage space to your servers. You can create effective data usage plans across all departments with the help of the increased time, space, and information technology resources.
Data collection can be used by businesses in a variety of ways for their business strategies. They could make better use of it to improve sales conversions, target markets, and customer communications. By dealing with your mass data fragmentation, you can use those tools more quickly. It may present fresh possibilities for your company and boost worker output.
What is data fragmentation?
Data fragmentation is the storage of data across multiple locations, resulting in massive secondary data caches that are not necessary for business operations and limit storage capacity. Examples of data fragmentation are:
This information might be redundant or have different versions depending on the situation. This data can be kept in a variety of places, taking up space in your storage centers. Data is frequently duplicated or removed from context due to the variety of systems and uses for each data point, causing it to be stored in numerous disconnected locations. Finding relevant data in the volume of data stored in companies’ systems may become challenging if they don’t address their data fragmentation.
What can cause data fragmentation?
Data fragmentation can be a byproduct of business operations with the rise in data analytics and technology use. Here are a few typical operational elements that cause data fragmentation:
Data silos
Systems or programs used for data management are known as data silos because they don’t share data with other systems or programs. When other programs are unable to access data, inconsistencies may result. The need to enter information more than once or update it in several places can result in more work.
For instance, if your sales team creates two sets of data by storing client contact information in two different databases—one for sales and one for marketing—you have two sets of data. The other team’s data does not update when one team modifies the contact information, leaving them with inaccurate data saved in their system. They would perform the same task twice by updating the data in two different systems if the marketing team and the sales team didn’t communicate the change. By using compatible systems or a shared database, both teams can get rid of these silos.
Copied data
Copied data is data that someone has purposely duplicated. When using data silos or testing data, this may occur. As an illustration, someone might duplicate data to experiment with manipulating or analyzing it without changing the original data However, you risk creating secondary data if you don’t manage copied data properly. Then, that data becomes inaccurate and takes up storage space. Teams can prevent this by always sharing linked data, or data that is linked to the original, to ensure that the changes are reflected everywhere the data is used. They can also remove test data once its purpose has been served.
File sharing
File-sharing is when someone shares a file with someone else. Numerous database programs can host files that many users can change simultaneously. Sharing a file, however, can occasionally result in duplicate data being shared and saved on the same server. For instance, if you email a document to a colleague who then saves it to their desktop, your server will have two copies of the same file. By utilizing file-hosting technology and removing unused files, you can reduce the amount of secondary data produced by file-sharing.
How to solve data fragmentation
Data fragmentation can be resolved in a variety of ways depending on the operations you can use. Utilizing some or all of the following tactics can help you develop a procedure that works for you:
1. Organize your data infrastructure
Numerous systems and programs may be used by businesses to collect, store, and analyze data across various departments. Your company may have implemented these systems at different times. Additionally, you might use software from various brands, which can make data sharing challenging. These systems are occasionally a requirement of business, but they may cause data fragmentation.
Look at the components of your data infrastructure that you can combine, organize, or get rid of. Consider if its possible to implement pathways between the systems. Time and storage space can be saved by organizing your infrastructure into a single system that communicates with all of its different programs.
2. Delete duplicates
If you examine your data infrastructure, you might discover that information duplicates from the creation or testing of various systems and databases are present on your servers. Additionally, you might observe that numerous copies were made after corrupted or deleted data was recovered. Perhaps you created these copies because they were required, but once they’ve served their purpose, you can delete them. Consider how many data copies you have on your servers when you’re reorganizing your data infrastructure and decide which ones are necessary.
3. Refine cloud usage
Software and services that operate online are referred to as the “cloud,” including storage and data management applications. Businesses now have much more flexibility and accessibility thanks to the cloud, which enables employees to access data from more locations. However, some businesses might not be utilizing this technology to its full capacity, which leads to redundant data and unused space. Many businesses have numerous clouds, divided by function or department, which can further isolate data.
Your data may be divided into silos by these various cloud accounts, making it difficult to access. However, they can also help you organize your data infrastructure. Consider establishing a single cloud management system. This can assist you in visualizing your data and organizing it across all of its different locations in order to maximize efficiency and reduce duplication.
Benefits of solving data fragmentation
Here are some advantages of putting new procedures in place to lessen data fragmentation:
Conserve resources
You can conserve resources by addressing mass data fragmentation rather than using them to organize and store secondary data. You might have to pay for extra storage, backup servers, and room in your digital storage systems, for instance. Reduce the amount of extra data that accumulates in these data management systems to reduce these costs. By repurposing those resources for activities that boost productivity, you can also reduce the cost of IT services used to manage secondary data.
Easier access
Businesses can benefit from using data to help with tasks like analyzing analytics, storing customer data, or monitoring production. However, when different departments store information in various locations, it can be challenging to determine which version of the data is accurate. Getting rid of your data’s mass fragmentation can make it easier for your staff to access the information they require and concentrate on their tasks.
Speed up processes
You can save time updating data in multiple places if your data is readily arranged and linked to reflect updates wherever it is stored. Your staff won’t have to check various systems or wonder if their data is accurate. They can speed up their processes, which could result in higher productivity for their department, by reducing the amount of time they spend looking up information or double-checking it.
FAQ
What is the main purpose of data fragmentation?
Data fragmentation’s primary goal is to place data where it will be accessed the least frequently. A distributed database’s ability to handle more complex query processing is a benefit. Distributed systems may experience performance issues when using record-at-a-time systems.
What is data fragmentation and its types?
Fragmentation. The process of fragmenting a table into a number of smaller tables The subsets of the table are called fragments. There are three different types of fragmentation: horizontal, vertical, and hybrid (which combines horizontal and vertical).
What is fragmentation in database with example?
The process of fragmenting a database involves breaking it up into different subtables or subrelations so that data can be stored in various systems. Fragments are the tiny bits of sub relations or subtables. These pieces are kept at various locations and are known as logical data units.
What are the advantages of data fragmentation?
The main benefit of fragmentation is to increase the efficiency of distributed database design by storing data only where it is required. The procedure known as data allocation allows for the allocation of fragments at various network locations.
