Structured data follows a universal format making it easily understood by search engines. It has a defined structure with rows and columns, is stored in databases or files, and focuses on syntax and standards like SQL. Unstructured data has less defined boundaries and is stored unmanaged, focusing on semantics. Semi-structured data does not conform to relational databases but groups similar entities that may have different attributes.

3. STRUCTURED DATA
WHAT IS STRUCTURED DATA?
STRUCTURED DATA IS DATA THAT IS APPLIED TO A UNIVERSAL FORMAT MAKING
IT EASILY RECOGNIZED, UNDERSTOOD AND DISPLAYED BY SEARCH ENGINES.
• Representation: discrete (rows and column).
• Storage/persistence: DBMS or File format (ex: VSAM ' Virtual
Storage Access method ‘).
• Metadata focus: syntax (ex. location and format).
• Standards: SQL, ADO.NET, ODBC (Open Database
Connectivity), RDMS support XML as another option.

4. UNSTRUCTURED DATA
• THE FOUNDATION OF TEXTUAL ANALYTICS IS THE ABILITY TO ACCESS AND
ANALYZE UNSTRUCTURED DATA IN AN UNFETTERED MANNER
• TO ACHIEVE THIS STATE, AN INFRASTRUCTURE SUITABLE FOR ANALYTICAL
PROCESSING MUST BE CREATED.
The heart of that environment is the unstructured database.

5. UNSTRUCTURED DATA
(CONT.)
• REPRESENTATION:
* BINARY LARGE OBJECTS: LESS-DEFINED BOUNDARIES, LESS EASY ADDRESSABLE.
* SMALL DISCRETE OBJECTS: INFORMATION REPRESENTED FOR A VERY SPECIFIC
PURPOSE.
• STORAGE / PERSISTENCE: UNMANAGED.
• METADATA FOCUS: SEMANTICS (DESCRIPTIVE AND OTHER MARKUP).
• STANDARDS: OPEN XML, SMTP (SIMPLE MAIL TRANSFER
PROTOCOL), SMS, CSV, INFORMATION AND CONTENT EXCHANGE.

6. EXAMPLES OF STRUCTURED DATA
- DATABASES - DATA WAREHOUSES
- XML DATA - ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS (CRM, ERP, ETC.)

7. EXAMPLES OF UNSTRUCTURED DATA
- EXCEL SPREADSHEETS - WORD DOCUMENTS
- EMAIL MESSAGES - VIDEO FILES
- RSS FEEDS - AUDIO FILES

8. SEMI-STRUCTURED DATA
• IS A FORM OF STRUCTURED DATA THAT DOES NOT CONFORM WITH THE
FORMAL STRUCTURE OF DATA MODELS ASSOCIATED WITH RELATIONAL
DATABASES OR OTHER FORMS OF DATA TABLES.
• ENTITIES BELONGING TO THE SAME CLASS MAY HAVE
DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE GROUPED TOGETHER
“THE ATTRIBUTE ORDER " IS NOT IMPORTANT.

9. SEMI-STRUCTURED DATA
(CONT.)
• SEMI-STRUCTURED DATA IS INCREASINGLY OCCURRING SINCE THE ADVENT
OF THE INTERNET WHERE FULL-TEXT DOCUMENTS
• IN OBJECT-ORIENTED DATABASES, ONE OFTEN FINDS SEMI-STRUCTURED
DATA.

10. TYPES OF SEMI-STRUCTURED DATA
• XM
• EMAIL
• OME (OBJECT EXCHANGE MODEL)
• EDI (ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE)