This document discusses big data and its characteristics, applications, and market opportunities. It notes that big data involves large amounts of data from a variety of sources that require new techniques and tools to solve problems. Examples are provided of the large quantities of data generated daily from sources like social media, online transactions, and medical records. The document also outlines some applications of big data analytics in fields like healthcare, homeland security, finance, and manufacturing. It predicts substantial growth in the big data market and jobs required to manage and analyze increasingly large datasets.