But even that was just a drop in the bucket of data generated daily by governments, corporations and research institutions, as well as by private individuals using smartphones, laptops and other consumer devices.

FORBES: Big Data: Big Costs, Big Risks And Big Opportunity

Customers who are more data-centric can choose a larger data bucket.

ENGADGET: AT&T unveils Mobile Share, lets you add 10 devices to a single plan

And Verizon lets you share your data bucket among devices: you pay for what you use, and you get to use what you paid for.

FORBES: Verizon Makes Wireless Pricing Rational

The larger the data bucket you choose, the less you pay per gigabyte and the less you pay for each smartphone added to the shared plan.

ENGADGET: AT&T unveils Mobile Share, lets you add 10 devices to a single plan

You can choose to use more of your data bucket on your tablet, for example, or tap into your databucket only when needed for devices you use occassionally.

ENGADGET: AT&T unveils Mobile Share, lets you add 10 devices to a single plan

For the latter bucket of analysis, you have to basically ask if your business operations are designed for conditions of data scarcity (data being either unavailable or too expensive).

FORBES: Can You Use Big Data? The Litmus Test