Bringing a practitioner s view to big data analytics, this work examines the drivers behind big data, postulates a set of use cases, identifies sets of solution components, and recommends various implementation approaches. This work also addresses and thoroughly answers key questions on this emerging topic, including What is big data and how is it being used? How can strategic plans for big data analytics be generated? and How does big data change analytics architecture? The author, who has more than 20 years of experience in information management architecture and delivery, has drawn the material from a large breadth of workshops and interviews with business and information technology leaders, providing readers with the latest in evolutionary, revolutionary, and hybrid methodologies of moving forward to the brave new world of big data.