Data ingestion is the process of obtaining data from various sources, restructuring it, and importing it into a centralized system or repository in a unified format. This step is crucial for consolidating disparate data types—such as structured, semi-structured, or unstructured data—so that they can be easily accessed, processed, and analyzed.
Data ingestion can occur in real-time (streaming) or in batches, depending on the needs of the organization. Tools and platforms used in data ingestion help automate and streamline the flow of data from sources like databases, APIs, sensors, and logs into data lakes, data warehouses, or cloud storage systems.