"Big Data" is a commonly brandished term, but rarely does anyone provide a clear definition of it. If we stop to define Big Data, we find that at its core, it is about an inability to meet the challenges of information storage and access in a world where data is generated by the petabyte. As an alternative exists the concept of Critical Data, data that generates value for businesses, whose unavailability costs money or even lives. This is the data which has already been identified and understood to be at the core of a business. Together, we will gain a deeper understanding of how to gather, store, and access this business critical information.