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Big Data Fundamentals

Frank Neumann, Wanru (Kelly) Gao, Aneta Neumann, and Vahid Roostapour

Organizations now have access to massive amounts of data and it’s influencing the way they operate. They are realizing in order to be successful they must leverage their data to make effective business decisions.

In this course, part of the Big Data MicroMasters program, you will learn how big data is driving organisational change and the key challenges organizations face when trying to analyse massive data sets.

You will learn fundamental techniques, such as data mining and stream processing. You will also learn how to design and implement PageRank algorithms using MapReduce, a programming paradigm that allows for massive scalability across hundreds or thousands of servers in a Hadoop cluster. You will learn how big data has improved web search and how online advertising systems work.

By the end of this course, you will have a better understanding of the various applications of big data methods in industry and research.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

Knowledge and application of mapreduce
Understanding the rate of occurrences of events in big data
How to design algorithms for stream processing and counting of frequent elements in big data

Understand and design pagerank algorithms
Understand underlying random walk algorithms

Knowledge and application of mapreduce
Understanding the rate of occurrences of events in big data
How to design algorithms for stream processing and counting of frequent elements in big data
Understand and design pagerank algorithms
Understand underlying random walk algorithms

Syllabus

Section 1: The basics of working with big data Understand the four V’s of Big Data (Volume, Velocity, and Variety); Build models for data; Understand the occurrence of rare events in random data.

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Develops MapReduce skills, which are required for Big Data Engineering roles

Explores big data and its applications in real-world scenarios

Taught by experienced instructors in the field of Big Data

Covers fundamental concepts of data analysis, including data mining and stream processing

Provides hands-on exercises to reinforce learning

Requires students to have prior programming experience

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Reviews summary

Solid foundation in big data algorithms

According to learners, this course provides a comprehensive overview of Big Data fundamentals, offering a strong theoretical foundation. Students consistently highlight the instructor's clear explanations of complex algorithms, covering topics like MapReduce, PageRank, and recommendation systems. While it's lauded for its conceptual understanding, some reviewers note a desire for more hands-on coding and practical applications using modern tools beyond Hadoop, indicating a more academic focus. The course is highly recommended for understanding the 'why' behind Big Data, though a few mentioned the pace can be fast and wished for updated technological examples.

Complex Big Data concepts are presented with clarity.

"The instructor explained complex topics clearly, and the assignments, though challenging, solidified my learning."

"The instructor's ability to simplify complex ideas is remarkable."

"The lectures were engaging, and the concepts were explained well."

Provides deep conceptual understanding of Big Data algorithms.

"This course provided an excellent foundational understanding of Big Data concepts, especially the practical applications of MapReduce and PageRank."

"Fantastic course! The syllabus covered a wide range of essential big data algorithms... A great foundation for my career."

"Absolutely brilliant! This course is a gem for anyone wanting to understand the core principles of Big Data."

"I highly recommend this course for its comprehensive overview of big data fundamentals; it truly provides a solid theoretical grounding."

Some sections move quickly, requiring supplementary study for beginners.

"The pace was sometimes too fast, especially in the later sections. I struggled with some of the mathematical derivations without clearer explanations."

"It's a good introduction, but I felt the need to supplement with external resources for a full grasp."

"The presentation sometimes lacked clarity, particularly for someone new to the field."

Course is theoretical, with less focus on hands-on coding.

"Some parts felt a bit theoretical without enough hands-on examples. I wished for more modern tools and languages beyond Hadoop, perhaps Spark."

"Don't expect to become a practitioner just from this course. I had hoped for more practical coding assignments using modern big data frameworks."

"I was looking for more immediate practical skills. The content about older technologies like Hadoop is still relevant, but I'd prefer more on Spark or cloud platforms."

"I found this course somewhat challenging to follow... The course feels a bit dated in its technology focus (Hadoop focus)."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Big Data Fundamentals with these activities:

Connect with industry professionals

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Expand your network and gain insights from experienced professionals in the field of big data.

Browse courses on Networking

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Identify potential mentors through online platforms like LinkedIn or industry events.
Reach out to potential mentors and introduce yourself.
Schedule meetings or calls to connect with your mentors and seek their guidance.

Review linear algebra

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Refresh your knowledge of linear algebra, which is essential for understanding data mining and machine learning algorithms.

Browse courses on Linear Algebra

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Review the concepts of vectors, matrices, and linear transformations.
Practice solving systems of linear equations.
Familiarize yourself with the basics of matrix operations.

Explore Apache Spark

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Expand your knowledge of big data processing by exploring Apache Spark, a popular open-source framework.

Browse courses on Apache Spark

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Find online tutorials or courses on Apache Spark.
Follow the tutorials and practice using Spark to process and analyze large datasets.
Explore Spark's features and capabilities, such as its distributed computing engine and machine learning library.

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Collaborate on data analysis projects

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Work with peers to analyze real-world datasets and gain practical experience in solving big data problems.

Browse courses on Data Analysis

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Form a team with other classmates and choose a dataset to analyze.
Plan and design your data analysis project, including defining research questions and methodology.
Execute your data analysis plan and present your findings to the class.

Implement a MapReduce algorithm

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Gain hands-on experience implementing MapReduce algorithms to process large datasets.

Browse courses on MapReduce

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Choose a dataset and design a MapReduce algorithm to process it.
Implement the algorithm using a programming language like Python or Java.
Test and debug your implementation to ensure it runs correctly.

Contribute to open-source big data projects

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Gain practical experience and contribute to the big data community by participating in open-source projects.

Browse courses on Open Source

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Identify open-source big data projects that align with your interests.
Review the project's documentation and familiarize yourself with its codebase.
Identify areas where you can contribute and submit pull requests with your proposed changes.

Design a web search engine

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Apply your understanding of PageRank and web graph analysis to design and implement a web search engine.

Browse courses on Web Search

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Gather a corpus of web pages and build an index.
Design and implement a PageRank algorithm to rank the pages in the index.
Develop a user interface for the search engine and integrate it with the PageRank algorithm.

Career center

Learners who complete Big Data Fundamentals will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use their expertise in mathematics and computer science to analyze large amounts of data. They work in a variety of industries, including finance, healthcare, and retail. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a useful foundation for a career as a Data Scientist. It provides an overview of the basic concepts of big data, including data mining and stream processing. The course also covers specific applications of big data methods in industry and research.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Data Architect

Data Architects design and build data systems that meet the needs of businesses. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including business users, IT professionals, and database administrators. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Data Architecture. It provides an overview of the different types of big data systems and the challenges involved in designing and building them.

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Data Engineer

Data Engineers build and maintain the infrastructure that supports big data systems. They work with a variety of hardware and software technologies, including Hadoop, Spark, and NoSQL databases. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Data Engineering. It provides an overview of the different types of big data systems and the challenges involved in building and maintaining them.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. They work in a variety of industries, including finance, healthcare, and retail. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Software Engineering. It provides an overview of the different types of software applications and the challenges involved in designing, developing, and maintaining them.

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Database Administrator

Database Administrators maintain and manage databases. They work with a variety of database technologies, including SQL and NoSQL databases. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Database Administration. It provides an overview of the different types of databases and the challenges involved in maintaining and managing them.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Business Analyst

Business Analysts use data to help businesses make better decisions. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including business users, IT professionals, and data scientists. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Business Analysis. It provides an overview of the different types of data analysis techniques and the challenges involved in using data to make better decisions.

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts use data to identify trends and patterns. They work with a variety of data sources, including structured and unstructured data. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Data Analysis. It provides an overview of the different types of data analysis techniques and the challenges involved in using data to identify trends and patterns.

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Statistician

Statisticians use data to make inferences about the world. They work with a variety of data sources, including surveys, experiments, and observational studies. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Statistics. It provides an overview of the different types of statistical techniques and the challenges involved in using data to make inferences about the world.

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Operations Research Analyst

Operations Research Analysts use data to improve the efficiency of operations. They work with a variety of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Operations Research. It provides an overview of the different types of operations research techniques and the challenges involved in using data to improve the efficiency of operations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Research Analyst

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts use data to make investment decisions. They work with a variety of financial data, including stock prices, bond yields, and economic indicators. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Financial Analysis. It provides an overview of the different types of financial data and the challenges involved in using data to make investment decisions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Market Research Analyst

Market Research Analysts use data to understand the needs of customers. They work with a variety of data sources, including surveys, focus groups, and sales data. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Market Research. It provides an overview of the different types of market research techniques and the challenges involved in using data to understand the needs of customers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Research Analyst

User Experience Researcher

User Experience Researchers use data to improve the user experience of products and services. They work with a variety of data sources, including user feedback, surveys, and analytics data. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of User Experience Research. It provides an overview of the different types of user experience research techniques and the challenges involved in using data to improve the user experience of products and services.

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Web Developer

Web Developers design and develop websites. They work with a variety of programming languages and technologies, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Web Development. It provides an overview of the different types of web development technologies and the challenges involved in designing and developing websites.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Mobile Developer

Mobile Developers design and develop mobile applications. They work with a variety of programming languages and technologies, including Java, Swift, and Kotlin. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Mobile Development. It provides an overview of the different types of mobile development technologies and the challenges involved in designing and developing mobile applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile Developer

Data Management Analyst

Data Management Analysts manage data for organizations. They work with a variety of data sources, including structured and unstructured data. The course Big Data Fundamentals would be a helpful introduction to the field of Data Management. It provides an overview of the different types of data management techniques and the challenges involved in managing data for organizations.

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Reading list

We've selected 16 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Big Data Fundamentals.

Mining of Massive Data Sets

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A comprehensive textbook on data mining techniques for massive datasets. Provides a rigorous and in-depth treatment of various algorithms and techniques used in big data analysis.

Mining of Massive Datasets

Hardcover

$$$

Data Mining

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A classic textbook on data mining techniques, providing a comprehensive overview of the field. Offers a solid foundation for understanding the concepts and algorithms used in big data analysis.

Big Data Fundamentals

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Solid foundation in big data algorithms

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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