As core components, Hadoop MapReduce and HDFS are constantly being improved and provide starting points for big data, but you need something more. Trying to tackle big data challenges without a toolbox filled with technology and services is like trying to empty the ocean with a spoon. The Hadoop ecosystem provides an ever-expanding collection of tools and technologies created to smooth the development, deployment, and support of big data solutions.
No building is stable without a foundation. While important, stability is not the only important criterion in a building. Each part of the building must support its overall purpose. The walls, floors, stairs, electrical, plumbing, and roof need to complement each other while relying on the foundation for support and integration. It is the same with the Hadoop ecosystem.
The foundation is MapReduce and HDFS. They provide the basic structure and integration services needed to support the core requirements of big data solutions. The remainder of the ecosystem provides the components you need to build and manage purpose-driven big data applications for the real world.
In the absence of the ecosystem it would be incumbent on developers, database administrators, system and network managers, and others to identify and agree on a set of technologies to build and deploy big data solutions. This is often the case when businesses want to adapt new and emerging technology trends.
The chore of cobbling together technologies in a new market is daunting. That is why the Hadoop ecosystem is so fundamental to the success of big data. It is the most comprehensive collection of tools and technologies available today to target big data challenges. The ecosystem facilitate the creation of new opportunities for the widespread adoption of big data by businesses and organizations.