This document provides an introduction to big data, including: - Big data is high volume, high velocity, and high variety information that requires new processing to enable better decision making. It includes mostly unstructured data from sources like documents, email, social media, and sensors. - The amount of data being created is growing exponentially and is projected to reach 44 trillion gigabytes by 2020, driven by the internet of things, social media, mobile devices, and more. - Analyzing large datasets allows organizations to identify patterns and trends to optimize processes, predict weather, understand customers, and pursue other beneficial analyses.