A Data Lake is a storage repository that holds a vast amount of raw data in its native format until it is needed. Unlike traditional data warehouses that store data in predefined structures and schemas, a data lake can store structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data. This flexibility allows organizations to collect data from various sources without needing to structure it first. When the data is required for analysis, it can be processed and transformed as needed. Data lakes are essential for big data analytics, machine learning, and real-time data processing, as they provide a scalable and cost-effective solution for managing large volumes of diverse data.