Updated with full video – see below.

In their ongoing coverage of the HP Vertica Big Data Conference, Dave Vellante and John Furrier spoke with Debra Ann Braun, Director of Global Information Solutions for HP. In theCube the three discuss new trends in big data analytics and HP’s innovations in the field.

Braun begins by noting that the concept of Big Data has changed significantly from what it was a few years ago. Whereas petabytes once seemed like a “huge deal,” now many are tasked with manipulating xenobytes. Vellante notes that previous discussions in the industry questioned the business impact of IT. Now, he suggests,  data has made explicit and restored the relevance of IT.

With colossal amounts of data at the fingertips of data scientists, business executives and developers, Braun says the important conversations now concern: “How do we ask and answer the right questions?” More importantly she notes, companies need the right tools to help us understand and analyze these large amounts of data efficiently – the most appropriate tools for the precise opportunity is the heart of what HP Vertica provides.

Vellante asks Braun what makes Vertica such a compelling solution. Braun notes that expanded analytic capabilities within Vertica now provide the ability to integrate analytics within the platform itself. Braun suggests competitors don’t focus on the analytic space as strongly as Vertica, which makes the company unique. She adds, “When you talk about Vertica – we’re talking about doing a lot of predictive analytics. We’re also looking at functions that parse through data faster and make better assumptions based on the data we received.”

Leaders across various industries and emerging web-scale businesses alike are harnessing Vertica. Referencing GE as a use-case, Braun shares that the company has utilized Vertica to develop analytics that help their customers understand consumption of power and energy. She explains that GE has been “using hadoop as a data lake for collecting and analyzing data and [leveraging] device data to proactively enhance customer experience.”

Braun ends by offering advice to young people considering the ideal career path within IT. She believes the stereotype of a data scientist as an isolated nerd is completely wrong. According to Braun, “This is actually a really glamorous role. To be someone who is a reputable expert on data, I think is sexy.”