The document discusses Booz Allen's Cloud Analytics Reference Architecture, an innovative approach to implementing big data analytics. It removes constraints of traditional systems by integrating and analyzing all available data from multiple sources. At the core are systems that can handle petabytes of data at reasonable cost while allowing analytics to run at large scales quickly. The goal is to leverage machines to do 80% of routine work while enabling human insights through analysis and creativity.

1. The ability to compete and win in the information economy will come from powerful analytics
that draw insights and value from data, and from high-fidelity visualizations that present
those insights in impactful, intuitive ways. Few of the world’s IT systems are ready for the
technology revolution happening as organizations seek to transform how they use data. Their
infrastructures face three major challenges:
To help organizations overcome these hurdles and prepare for what’s next, Booz Allen a
leading strategy and technology consulting firm has pioneered an entirely new approach for
the implementation of big data in the digital enterprise—a way of using technology, machine-
based analytics, and human-powered analysis to create competitive and mission advantage.
This innovative approach, known as the Cloud Analytics Reference Architecture, removes the
conventional constraints, enabling organizations to integrate and analyze all of their available
data, along with information from multiple outside sources. Big data now becomes manage-
able and fully accessible.
At the core of the Cloud Analytics Reference Architecture are systems that accommodate
petabytes of data at reasonable cost and allow analytics to run at previously unattainable
scales in reasonable amounts of time. However, human insights and action are still the
fundamental drivers.
The purpose of this innovative approach is to allow machines to do 80 percent of the work—
the mundane tasks they are best suited for—and enable people to do the 20 percent of the
work they do best, tasks that involve analysis and creativity.
About Booz Allen
Booz Allen Hamilton is
a leading provider of
management and technology
consulting services to the
US government in defense,
intelligence, and civil markets,
and to major corporations,
institutions, and not-for-profit
organizations. Booz Allen is
headquartered in McLean,
Virginia, employs approximately
25,000 people, and had
revenue of $5.86 billion
for the 12 months ended
March 31, 2012. (NYSE: BAH)
For more information contact
Josh Sullivan, Ph.D.
Vice President
sullivan_joshua@bah.com
301-543-4611
Jason Escaravage
Principal
escaravage_jason@bah.com
703-902-5635
Peter Guerra
Senior Associate
guerra_peter@bah.com
301-497-6754
www.boozallen.com/cloud
S trate g y & O r g ani z atio N | T echnolo g Y | en g ineerin g & O peration S | A nalytics
The Cloud Analytics Reference
Architecture
Harnessing Big Data to Solve Complex Problems
Volume
Not enough storage
capacity and analytical
capabilities to handle
massive volumes of data
Variety
Data comes in many
different formats, which
can be difficult and
expensive to integrate
Velocity
Inability to process
data in real time in
order to extract the
most value from it

2. Booz Allen Can Help You Be Ready For What’s Next
What makes this possible is that an organization’s repository of information is no longer stored in
rigid, regimented data structures, but rather is consolidated in a vast pool, or “data lake.” Every
inquiry can make use of this entire pool. Unlike conventional approaches, the data lake smoothly
and equally accepts all types of data, including unstructured, streaming and batch.
Without the need for data structures—and their limited, “canned” queries—we can now ask more
intuitive, big-picture questions of the data that gives subject-matter experts the ability to explore
the data directly, without the need for computer scientists to act as intermediaries. We can also
look for the patterns that naturally emerge – and let the data talk to us, so to speak.
The Cloud Analytics Reference Architecture is no more
expensive to build than the conventional approach. Each one
of its elements—including the infrastructure, the data lake,
the analytics and the visualization tools—is highly flexible and
reusable, and so can scale to an organization’s expanding
data. Conscious effort and deliberate planning are needed,
however, for the system to reach its full potential.
It is impossible to harness big data with techniques
designed for small data. The Cloud Analytics Reference
Architecture is not an incremental step forward, but rather
an entirely new approach—one that gives organizations a
powerful tool to solve their most complex problems, and
drive their mission and business success.
See our ideas in action at boozallen.com/cloud
12.032.12F
Streaming
Indexes
Human Insights and Actions
Enabled by customizable interfaces
and visualizations of the data
Analytics and Services
Your tools for analysis, modeling,
testing, and simulations
Data Management
The single, secure repository
for all of your valuable data
Infrastructure
The technology platform for
storing and managing your data
Services (SOA)
Analytics and
Discovery
Views and Indexes
Data Lake
Metadata Tagging
Data Sources
Infrastructure/
Management
Visualization, Reporting,
Dash-boards, and Query
Interface
Done right, analytics hosted
in the cloud will help:
• Improve overall perfor-
mance and efficiency
• Better understand
customer and
employee needs
• Translate data into action-
able intelligence and
faster decision making
• Reduce IT costs
• Improve scalability to
handle future growth
Reference Architecture