Less than 1% of World’s Information is Being Analyzed – IDC Report

EMC Corporation has announced the results of the latest study Digital Universe, developed by IDC and sponsored by EMC, “Big Data, Bigger and Biggest Growth Digital Shadows in the Far East”. The report reveals that, despite the unprecedented expansion experienced by the digital universe, due to the massive volumes of data generated daily by people and devices, only 0.5% of the world’s information is being analyzed.

This year’s study underscores the massive opportunity that exists for businesses that not only identify the potential benefits of the digital universe, but recognize the importance of navigating that universe with the right balance of technology, data security practices and IT skills.

The proliferation of devices such as PCs and smartphones, the growth of Internet access in emerging markets and increased data generated by machines such as CCTV cameras or intelligent sensors, has helped to double the digital world in recent years to 2.8 ZB. However, the report predicts that by 2020 the digital universe will be at 40 ZB, a figure that exceeds the expectations that had been made earlier as 14%.

This year’s report is the first in which IDC has been determined where the information originates in the digital or where they are caught or consumed for the first time, revealing some significant changes during this process. In its sixth year, the study, which measures and provides for the amount of digital information created and copied annually, reveals important findings about the Big Data Gap including the difference between the volume of information with a hidden value and worth currently being exploited, the level of protection required against data and the geographical implications of global data.

The main factor for the growth of digital data is due to the information generated by machines, which would increase from 11% in 2005 to over 40% in 2020. Furthermore the data show that huge volumes valuable information is lost because most of the newly generated structured or not classified data. In 2012, 23% (643 Exabyte) of the digital universe would have profitable for Big Data if it were classified and analyzed. However, currently only 3% of potentially useful data is classified, and the percentage is even lower for analysis of data.

The amount of data requiring protection is growing much faster than the size of the digital universe. The level of protection varies across regions, with emerging countries have lower levels of protection. Lack of security profiles and low adoption of best practices by individuals and organizations is the main reason for low data protection rate.