Massive datasets

Massive datasets are so labeled because of their size and complexity. They do not yield readily to standard statistical analyses. The resulting frustration has served as a spur to researchers to develop better tools. Some progress has been made, but the need for considerably more explains why this line of research remains a top priority. Interdisciplinary teamwork is at least as important as tools and can be the key to cracking the hard challenges that these datasets pose. This review includes background information, examples, and statistical strategies to illustrate the state-of-the- art. (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.