Browse Definitions :
Definition

semi-structured data

Semi-structured data is data that has not been organized into a specialized repository, such as a database, but that nevertheless has associated information, such as metadata, that makes it more amenable to processing than raw data.

The difference between structured data, unstructured data and semi-structured data:
Unstructured data has not been organized into a format that makes it easier to access and process. In reality, very little data is completely unstructured. Even things that are often considered unstructured data, such as documents and images, are structured to some extent. Structured data is basically the opposite of unstructured: It has been reformatted and its elements organized into a data structure so that elements can be addressed, organized and accessed in various combinations to make better use of the information. Semi-structured data lies somewhere between the two. It is not organized in a complex manner that makes sophisticated access and analysis possible; however, it may have information associated with it, such as metadata tagging, that allows elements contained to be addressed.

Here's an example: A Word document is generally considered to be unstructured data. However, you can add metadata tags in the form of keywords and other metadata that represent the document content and make it easier for that document to be found when people search for those terms -- the data is now semi-structured. Nevertheless, the document still lacks the complex organization of the database, so falls short of being fully structured data.

In reality, there is considerable overlap between the boundaries of the three categories, which are sometimes described collectively as the data continuum.

This was last updated in November 2014

Continue Reading About semi-structured data

Networking
  • remote infrastructure management

    Remote infrastructure management, or RIM, is a comprehensive approach to handling and overseeing an organization's IT ...

  • port address translation (PAT)

    Port address translation (PAT) is a type of network address translation (NAT) that maps a network's private internal IPv4 ...

  • network fabric

    'Network fabric' is a general term used to describe underlying data network infrastructure as a whole.

Security
CIO
  • business goals

    A business goal is an endpoint, accomplishment or target an organization wants to achieve in the short term or long term.

  • vertical SaaS (software as a service)

    Vertical SaaS describes a type of software as a service solution created for a specific industry, such as retail, financial ...

  • business process mapping

    Business process mapping is the visual display of the steps within a business process showing how it's done from start to finish.

HRSoftware
  • employee onboarding and offboarding

    Employee onboarding involves all the steps needed to get a new employee successfully deployed and productive, while offboarding ...

  • skill-based learning

    Skill-based learning develops students through hands-on practice and real-world application.

  • gamification

    Gamification is a strategy that integrates entertaining and immersive gaming elements into nongame contexts to enhance engagement...

Customer Experience
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365

    Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based portfolio of business applications from Microsoft that are designed to help organizations improve ...

  • Salesforce Commerce Cloud

    Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a cloud-based suite of products that enable e-commerce businesses to set up e-commerce sites, drive ...

  • Salesforce DX

    Salesforce DX, or SFDX, is a set of software development tools that lets developers build, test and ship many kinds of ...

Close