The thesis of this book is that a lack of data will not be the information technology problem of the future; rather, the challenge will be in using and managing very large quantities of data effectively. The large oncoming flood of data will lead to what the authors call “inescapable data.” The authors contend that inescapable data really means that you will not be able to escape into isolation from the onrushing exponential growth in storage. The change is not something you can escape, even if you do not fully welcome all of the technological changes personally, as the world around you—including government, manufacturing, retail, and medicine among them—will embrace inescapable data technologies, and you will feel the impact.

To develop and support their thesis, the authors conducted in-depth interviews with nearly 50 executives and experts in a wide variety of fields. The authors describe four fundamental ingredients that form the foundation for the era of inescapable data: data-everywhere devices, communications, networking, and information processing. Data-everywhere devices are devices that can be used to capture data, which can be mined for its information content. They include such devices as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, full-function cellular phones, biosensors, miniature digital video cameras, and global positioning system (GPS) transceivers. Communications involves the use of asynchronous, yet immediate, conversation technologies, such as wireless email and instant messaging. The claim is made that this can lead to greater convenience and efficiency in both our personal and business communications. Networking includes both wired and wireless interfaces that will network anything electrical, such as refrigerators and automobiles. Information processing is the ability of data to describe itself as it travels, through the combination of the use of the right metadata and a self-describing data representation technology, such as Extensible Markup Language (XML).

Chapters 4 through 10 go into detail on how the evolution of the technologies for the four fundamental drivers will lead to the adoption of inescapable data. To illustrate and support the inescapable data thesis, many subjects are covered with detailed examples. These include how inescapable data will affect government (including warfare), the home, medicine, work life, real-time manufacturing, sports and entertainment, and retail sales. Notice that both business and personal topics are covered. The technology needs in both business and personal roles will be shared, and there will be a blurring of what is business and what is personal.

Chapter 11 covers the issue of where all of the data will be stored and the issues that surround that storage, such as how to classify and protect the data. Chapter 12 examines the role that supercomputing, the introduction of new visualization techniques, and advances in networking, such as in the Internet, will play in bringing about the era of inescapable data. The final chapter summarizes the main arguments in the book; discusses the concerns about the social impacts, such as privacy, that will arise with more data and greater connectivity; and makes additional predictions.

Technically inclined readers will probably agree with the basic thesis, and will find the immersion in examples of how the inescapable data era will come about very convincing. Those readers concerned with the social implications of an inescapable data world will not find the discussion of social impacts deep enough for their liking. However, the authors did acknowledge the subject, and will leave it to others to address how to balance both the benefits and risks of an inescapable data era.