Overview
A data lake is a centralized repository that allows you to store, process, and secure unstructured, semi-structured, or structured data at any scale. Data stored in a data lake can be in its native raw format, making it easier to use for comprehensive big data analytics, visualizations, dashboards, and machine learning to guide decision-making. Unlike a data warehouse, data lakes use a flat architecture to store data, making it easier to locate and retrieve. As a result, these flexible and scalable storage solutions eliminate data silos and make data more easily accessible for business intelligence applications. Compared to data warehouses, data lakes can process all data types, reduce data storage costs, increase data availability, and make it easier to harness the power of your data.