Difference Between Big Data and Predictive Analytics

Big data deals with a large volume of data which can be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured. The data is continuously generated so different types of tools like Hadoop are used to store and process the data. Predictive analytics is a type of analytics in which historical data is used for prediction. There are many differences between big data and predictive analytics and we will study them in detail in this article.

Big Data

Big data deals with a large volume of data that is generated continuously. It uses many tools to store, manage, and process the data. Big data is used to make patterns and discover trends so that decisions can be made which are related to human behavior and technology.

Components of Big Data

Big data consists of different components and we will discuss them here.

• Collection − Data is collected from various sources like apps, mobile devices, web portals, etc.
• Networking − The data is moved between cloud processing clusters, storage, and collection points. As the data is in terabytes so high bandwidth of networking is required.
• Compute − The primary task of big data tools is to process the data with the help of high-performing hardware. This also requires specialized hardware and GPU-accelerated processing.
• Storage − Massive storage capacities are required to store the large volume of data that is continuously generated for processing and data archiving.

Industries where Big Data is used

Big data is used in many industries and we will discuss some of them here.

• Medicine and Healthcare − Big data helps healthcare professionals by providing networks which help in the coordination of patients' care. Big data provides new reports to doctors so that they know whether there is an improvement in health or not. Data in the documents like X-rays can be easily processed.
• Machine Learning and AI − Machine learning models are being trained with the help of terabytes of data stored on clouds. Now almost every major industry is using machine learning.
• Genomic Sequencing − It is a process in which a large volume of data is required for processing.
• E-Commerce − Major retailers are moving towards big data infrastructures so that data related to customer behavior can be gathered and processed. This helps in the management of online stock and also helps in target advertising.

Predictive Analytics

Predictive analytics is used to make predictions by using the current and past data. The predictions are related to the future of an organization. The algorithms that are used by predictive analysis to make predictions are −

• Data modeling
• Data mining
• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning

Tools used to perform predictive analytics are −

• Periscope data
• AI Platform
• SAP Predictive Analytics
• Microsoft Azure

Industries where Predictive Analytics is used

Predictive Analytics is used in many industries and some of them are described below −

• Machine Learning − Machine learning uses AI concepts for the prediction of the future of a business. The decisions are made on the basis of historical data. This makes predictive analytics a mode of success for AI.
• Fraud Detection − Fraud can be detected on the basis of the behavior of a customer. Fraud can be detected by checking fake credit card numbers, catching people who are involved in fraud, etc.
• Risk Modeling − Risk analyses are conducted by insurance agencies and financial institutions. This helps them in the reduction of financial activities which helps them in the reduction of financial damages.
• Retail − Predictive analytics also help retail stores to grow their sales. It detects customer actions and helps in the promotion of the products and services.

Difference between Big Data and Predictive Analytics

Big data and predictive analytics can be differentiated in many ways and these differences can be found in the table below −

Conclusion

Big Data and Predictive Analytics have a lot of differences. Big data processes and stores large volumes of data with tools like Hadoop. It is helpful for many industries. Predictive analysis uses historical data to predict the future of the business. It is also used in many industries.

FAQs on Big Data Vs. Predictive Analytics

1. What are the components of big data?

The components of big data include −

• Collection
• Networking
• Compute
• Storage

2. In which industries big data is being used?

Big data is used in many industries like

• Medicine and Healthcare
• Genomic Sequencing
• E-commerce

3. Which type of data is used by predictive analytics to predict the future?

Historical and current data is used by predictive analytics to predict the future.

4. Which algorithms are used by predictive analytics?

The algorithms used by predictive analytics are −

• Data modeling
• Data mining
• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning

5. Which tools are used to perform predictive analytics?

The tools that are used for predictive analytics are −

• Periscope data
• AI Platform
• SAP Predictive Analytics
• Microsoft Azure