Note of big data dummies:Integrating data types into a big data environment

Figure below shows a helpful table that outlines some of the characteristics of big data and the types of data management systems you might want to use to address each one.

Connectors
You want to have some connectors that enable you to pull data in from various big data sources. Maybe you want a Twitter connector or a Facebook one. Maybe you need to integrate from your data warehouse with a big data
source that’s off your premises so that you can analyze both of these sources of data together.

Metadata
A critical component to integrating all this data is the metadata. Metadata is the definitions, mappings, and other characteristics used to describe how to find, access, and use a company’s data (and software) components. 

Metadata can be used to help you organize your data stores and deal with new and changing sources of data.