
Azure Open Datasets is a treasure trove for AI and machine learning projects, offering a vast collection of public datasets that can be easily accessed and used.
With over 1,000 datasets to choose from, you can find the perfect fit for your project, whether it's for research, development, or testing.
These datasets are sourced from various organizations, including government agencies, research institutions, and private companies, ensuring a diverse range of topics and formats.
Data types include images, text, and structured data, making it easy to find datasets that match your specific needs.
Getting Started
Azure Open Datasets is a free service that provides access to a wide range of public data sets. These datasets are sourced from various organizations and government agencies.
To get started with Azure Open Datasets, you can browse the available datasets by category or search for specific ones.
The service offers a user-friendly interface that allows you to easily explore and download datasets in various formats.
Creating Datasets
Creating datasets with Azure Open Datasets is a straightforward process that can be done in several ways. You can use the Python SDK to create datasets with the help of Azure Open Datasets classes.
To start, you'll need to install the azureml-opendatasets package using pip install azureml-opendatasets. This will give you access to various classes that represent discrete data sets, such as the MNIST class.
The MNIST class, for example, can return either a TabularDataset or FileDataset, depending on your needs. You can also use the get_tabular_dataset() or get_file_dataset() functions to retrieve the dataset.
Alternatively, you can create datasets directly in the Azure Machine Learning studio. This consolidated web interface includes machine learning tools to perform data science scenarios for data science practitioners of all skill levels.
To create a dataset in the studio, select the Data tab in your workspace and click on Create. Then, add a name and description for the new data asset, and select Tabular as the type.
Here are the steps to follow when creating a dataset in the studio:
- Select an available Azure Open Dataset.
- Filter the data with the available filters, if necessary.
- Review the settings for the new data asset and make any necessary changes.
Note that datasets created through the studio are automatically registered to the workspace, making it easy to share and reuse them across experiments.
Register Datasets
Registering datasets is a crucial step in making them accessible to others and reusing them across experiments in your workspace. You can register an Azure Machine Learning dataset with your workspace using the register() method.
The register() method allows you to share the dataset with others and reuse it across experiments in your workspace. No data is immediately downloaded, but the data becomes accessible later when requested from a central storage location.
You can register datasets created from Open Datasets or datasets created through Azure Machine Learning studio. If you created the dataset through studio, it's automatically registered to the workspace, making it easy to access and reuse.
Here's a quick summary of the registration process:
- Use the register() method to register your datasets.
- No data is immediately downloaded, but the data becomes accessible later.
- Datasets created through Azure Machine Learning studio are automatically registered to the workspace.
By registering your datasets, you can easily share and reuse them across your workspace, making your data science workflow more efficient and effective.
Example Use Cases
Azure Open Datasets is an incredible resource for anyone looking to tap into the power of data. It provides access to thousands of publicly available datasets, covering a wide range of topics.
You can use Azure Open Datasets to build a predictive model that forecasts energy consumption based on historical data from the US Energy Information Administration.
For instance, the dataset on US Energy Information Administration provides hourly energy consumption data for the entire country, allowing you to identify trends and patterns.
This data can be used to create a model that predicts energy consumption for a specific region or even a single building.
The Azure Open Datasets platform also offers a dataset on COVID-19 cases from the World Health Organization, which can be used to build a model that predicts the spread of the virus.
With this data, you can create a model that identifies high-risk areas and populations, helping public health officials make informed decisions.
Sources
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/open-datasets/dataset-catalog
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/public-data-sets
- https://pypi.org/project/azureml-opendatasets/
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/azure-open-datasets-nebojsha-antic--ptlce
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/open-datasets/how-to-create-azure-machine-learning-dataset-from-open-dataset
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