What Are the Key Differences Between Structured and Unstructured Data?

Typically, structured data contains well-defined information and is trackable and searchable via a database. On the other hand, unstructured data is scattered and can be difficult to compile into a usable format. These differences go beyond collation and extend to the different technology tools and analytical methodologies used to analyze them. Similarly, analyzing unstructured data requires a diverse knowledge base than analyzing structured data.

Structured data is stored in relational databases.

Relational databases store structured data. This data type is easily mapped to specific fields, like zip codes, phone numbers, or state abbreviations. These data are easily stored in relational databases because management systems apply logic to ensure that the data is in the correct format when written to disk. Structured data is also easy to find and query. As a result, this information is often more convenient than unstructured data.

Unstructured data is a mixed bag containing both types of data. While structured data follows a pre-defined structure, unstructured data does not. Because unstructured data is not pre-defined, it cannot be categorized and stored using conventional database systems. Structured data, on the other hand, can be searched and parsed with traditional software. If your database contains both types of data, you can use either one.

When storing data, you should never forget that there are two main data types: unstructured and structured. Structured data is highly-organized and easy to search. Unstructured data does not have a pre-defined format and is more challenging to analyze. Relational databases use both types of data. Unstructured data is difficult to process and study and is typically stored in separate databases. Structured data is more common in relational databases because it fits neatly into fixed fields in spreadsheets. Examples of structured data include stock information, geolocation, and network logs.

Unstructured data is not tagged with any schema.

As its name suggests, unstructured data is a data set that is not pre-defined in terms of its structure, attributes, or datatypes. This data is generally not tagged with any schema, and its format is usually inferred during reading. Nevertheless, its flexibility is a significant advantage over structured data. This type of data management is often referred to as a Data Warehouse and is used when more than one source of data is stored.

Unstructured data is not necessarily structured and can be processed using advanced algorithms. However, you can derive the best insights from it. To do so, you must have a clear goal in mind when using unstructured data. It is important to analyze such data in modern data architecture because it is not indexed or tagged. In addition, distributed processing allows you to process any amount of data using neural networks. For example, these models can analyze audio, image, or text-based data, which are typically inherently unstructured.

Typically, unstructured data is classified as qualitative data and cannot be processed by conventional data tools. These data are best managed in non-relational databases and can be preserved in raw form in data lakes. Unstructured data makes it difficult to secure and work, and many essential sources of unstructured data reside in email and documents saved to network shared drives. Regardless of the type of unstructured data you have, it is necessary to keep your unstructured data secure. Think about who will have access to your data and implement access controls. Also, consider disaster recovery plans and network security.

Semi-structured data

Structured and unstructured data have varying levels of complexity. While structured data can be easily managed and categorized, semi-structured data is more challenging. Whatever information you have, handling it correctly is essential to avoid errors and improve productivity. Read on! Semi-structured data is typically organized into semantic entities to learn more. This means it has different attributes and the same information as unstructured data, but different groups may use other tags.

In data storage, most data is stored as either structured or unstructured. While structured information is easy to handle and has a consistent format, unstructured data comes in various forms that are impossible to organize in conventional ways. Regardless of the type of data you have, the differences between structured and unstructured data can affect your business operations. For example, structured data can be stored easily and processed through traditional methods. In contrast, unstructured data must be kept in its native format and handled using data mining and stacking techniques.

While email and social media are examples of structured data, semi-structured data is a mostly unstructured text that meta tags have loosely categorized. Semi-structured data, for instance, can be divided by intent. For example, if a customer has sent an email with a specific purpose, they are likely to be responding with a genuine interest. However, this distinction is not as important as you might think. For more information, you can find articles that discuss structured vs unstructured data: 5 key differences.