Describe Core Data Concepts

Core Data Concepts in Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals encompass the foundational principles of how data is stored, processed, and utilized in modern computing environments. **Data Formats:** Data exists in three primary forms — structured, semi-structured, and unstructured. Structured data follows a fixed schema, like rows and columns in relational databases. Semi-structured data has some organizational properties but doesn't conform to rigid schemas, such as JSON or XML files. Unstructured data has no predefined format, including images, videos, and audio files. **Data Storage:** Data can be stored in file systems, databases, or cloud-based storage solutions. File stores hold data in formats like CSV, Parquet, or Avro. Databases are categorized into relational databases (using tables with defined relationships) and non-relational (NoSQL) databases, which include key-value stores, document databases, column-family databases, and graph databases. **Transactional vs. Analytical Workloads:** Transactional workloads (OLTP) handle high volumes of real-time operations like inserts, updates, and deletes, following ACID properties (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability). Analytical workloads (OLAP) focus on querying large datasets for insights and reporting, typically involving read-heavy operations. **Data Processing:** Data can be processed in batches or in real-time (streaming). Batch processing handles large volumes of data at scheduled intervals, while stream processing deals with data continuously as it arrives. **Roles in Data:** Key roles include Database Administrators who manage and secure databases, Data Engineers who build data pipelines and integration solutions, and Data Analysts who explore and visualize data to derive business insights. **Data Analytics Types:** Descriptive analytics examines what happened, diagnostic analytics explores why it happened, predictive analytics forecasts what might happen, and prescriptive analytics recommends actions. These core concepts form the foundation for understanding Azure's data services and how organizations leverage cloud technologies to manage, process, and gain value from their data assets effectively. Core Data Concepts in Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals encompass the foundational principles of how data is stored, processed, and utilized in modern computing environments. **Data Formats:** Data exists in three primary forms — structured, semi-structured, and unstructured. Structured data follo…