The data lake is a daring new approach for harnessing the power of big data technology and providing convenient self-service capabilities. But is it right for your company? This book is based on discussions with practitioners and executives from more than a hundred organizations, ranging from data-driven companies such as Google, LinkedIn, and Facebook, to governments and traditional corporate enterprises. You'll learn what a data lake is, why enterprises need one, and how to build one successfully with the best practices in this book.

Alex Gorelik, CTO and founder of Waterline Data, explains why old systems and processes can no longer support data needs in the enterprise. Then, in a collection of essays about data lake implementation, you'll examine data lake initiatives, analytic projects, experiences, and best practices from data experts working in various industries.