Big Data Consulting and Training for a Satellite Agency
Summary
A satellite agency preparing a 25-year program to collect weather, climate, and environmental data wanted an independent opinion on the big data architecture and technology stack a contractor had proposed — and training to bring its teams up to speed. INNERLUXES assessed 1,000+ pages of documentation in under a month, surfaced strengths and gaps, recommended changes that improved performance and reliability, and delivered 300+ slides of big data training tailored to both management and technical staff.
About the Client
The Client is a satellite agency that collects and processes weather and climate observations.
An Independent Check on a 25-Year Big Data Solution
Under a well-orchestrated development program, the agency was planning a new project of satellites orbiting the Earth to collect and transmit observation data for weather, climate, and environmental monitoring. To be ready on time, the Client had engaged a contractor well in advance to design the architecture of the future solution and recommend a technology stack. Because the project is intended to run for 25 years — making the right architecture critical — the Client turned to a second consultancy to assess the documentation it had received, and chose INNERLUXES for the task. As the solution relies on big data, the Client also asked INNERLUXES to prepare and conduct training on the big data landscape in general and the suggested technologies in particular.
Documentation Review, Tailored Training, and On-the-Job Support
INNERLUXES's big data consulting team began with an on-site visit to learn the Client's business specifics and the solution under consideration, running Q&A sessions with the Client's team. Next, the consultants dug into the documentation on the proposed architecture and technology stack — carefully examining 1,000+ pages in under a month to identify the strong points and reveal any gaps or deficiencies.
The team then prepared training materials for the next on-site visit. To introduce the Client to the big data landscape, the consultants compiled an overview of existing big data technologies — going well beyond those recommended by the third-party contractor — along with use cases focused on those relevant to the Client's business. Since the training addressed both top management and the technical team, INNERLUXES devised completely separate materials for each audience. The team was ready not only to run workshops but also to design knowledge-checking materials and advise on assessment techniques; the Client opted for workshops ending in Q&A sessions. INNERLUXES also provided on-the-job support for the technical staff, conducting code sessions during a second on-site visit.
A Stronger Solution and Knowledge Transferred
The Client received an analysis report setting out the strong and weak points of the proposed solution, along with recommendations for improving it — for example, replacing one suggested technology with another, which increased the solution's performance and reliability. INNERLUXES also prepared 300+ slides of training materials introducing the big data concept, technologies, and practical applications, covering topics such as NoSQL technologies and streaming and batching analytics. The training ran in two formats — workshops with Q&A sessions and on-the-job assistance — and all materials were handed over to the Client as its own intellectual property.
Methodologies
Q&A sessions; assessment of quality attributes (availability, interoperability, scalability, reliability, maintainability, supportability, performance); solution assessment based on technology characteristics (user experience, technology maturity, technology trends, vendor/community support).