Apache Iceberg: Successor or Evolution of Hadoop?

Apache Iceberg, a cornerstone for modern data lakes, is experiencing a rapid adoption similar to Hadoop's rise. The article highlights that Iceberg solves core data lake problems, but its adoption often outpaces organizations' operational readiness, mirroring Hadoop's early days. It delves into challenges Iceberg faces regarding the small files problem, its complex ecosystem, metadata overhead, and the choice between self-hosting and managed services. Future trends for Iceberg are also discussed: consolidation of formats and catalogs, increased operational maturity, and applications beyond analytics. Ultimately, the article concludes that Iceberg's success hinges on an organization's readiness, skill set, and strategic goals.