Hadoop works on extracting voluminous unstructured data to interpret business performance, customer relationship management etc. Large business houses are at a distinct advantage in handling big data, but with features like Excel reporting in Hadoop, small businesses can also take advantage. Some salient features are:
1. Hadoop is being used with cloud storage platforms to expand storage capabilities.
2. Third party tools and add-ons help tighten up big data security, as big data security is vital.
3. Allowing big data processing through integration with IT systems.
4. Hadoop allows modifications, to extend functionality and accessibility.

To know more: http://www.business2community.com/big-data/hadoop-keeps-even-small-businesses-loop-big-data-analytics-01257559

Most companies don’t get rid of the currently unused data, with the expectation it may be required to forecast trends in the future. This data becomes ‘dark’ data when the company completely forgets its existence and it becomes difficult to locate it and interpret it or interact with it. However, this ‘dark’ data can be restored or ‘lightened’ up by the following steps:
1. Data filtration, that can isolate the required information in the means of filtering the data feeds, to prevent the accumulation of excess unnecessary data, but is only useful when the data center manager can identify the data, expected to be valued in the present or future times.
2. In case of any future requirement, it is always better to export the data (instead of deleting it) to a cloud-based storage system, from where it is possible to import the data into the company’s data system, whenever required.
3. It is important to properly define, data withholding policies in order to facilitate data center management.

Read more at:http://www.techrepublic.com/article/clear-out-dark-data-to-make-room-for-useful-big-data/