Data Fabric Case Study
Verisk
Verisk is a leader in the provision of analytical data to clients to help mitigate business risks.
Executive Summary
Verisk is a global leader and provider of analytical data to insurance and business entities that help to identify and mitigate business risks.
Having a method to access and analyze large amounts of data from varying sources crossed a global network of users presented a number of concerns for the client. Chef among them was the ease of access and security to datasets. The client had struggled with its antiquated on-prem solution that was not meeting its growing needs for advancements in data management and machine learning models.
AgileSRC, in close consultation with the client, was able to utilize its advanced knowledge of AWS Cloud environments and Identity and Access Management to create a robust solution to meet the client's needs in just 18 months by architecting and linking various AWS services.
Why Amazon Web Services (AWS)?
AgileSRC and Versik chose AWS as their cloud platform based on its scalability, security, and global reach. With AWS, they could easily scale their infrastructure based on demand, ensuring optimal performance and cost-efficiency. AWS's robust security measures provided peace of mind in handling sensitive data, while its global infrastructure enabled efficient service delivery to customers worldwide.
Why AgileSRC?
Verisk chose AgileSRC for its app development expertise, proven track record in delivering complex projects using Agile methodologies, and efficient utilization of AWS. AgileSRC's deep understanding of AWS gave them a competitive edge in addressing Verisk-specific requirements, leveraging AWS's robust services and tools to create scalable and secure applications.
By partnering with AgileSRC, Verisk recognized its ability to deliver an iterative development process, driving continuous improvement and adaptability, positioning Verisk as a leader in business risk analytics processes, and enhancing overall efficiency through a customized application on cutting-edge technologies.
The Challenge
Providing easy and secure access to large sets of data by data scientists lacking knowledge of cloud computing while ensuring the security of sensitive data.
Without improvements to workflows and the inclusion of identity management, the organization would continue to struggle regularly with the complex task of analyzing data sets as they become more complicated and included a variety of standards and file types. Additionally, the client desired to attain SOC-2 certification to further their relationship with their client base - this process would require that additional processes were in place to support this goal.
The Solution
Develop a user-centric web-based solution to create data sets from dissimilar sources while monitoring access within a global operation and ensuring the acquisition of a SOC-2 Certification (System and Organization Controls 2 - a commonly used to assess the risks associated with outsourced software solutions that store customer data online) that would further its business interests and enhance its trust relationships with its clients.
To achieve these objectives, AgileSRC leveraged several key AWS services:
API Gateway
AgileSRC utilized API Gateway to create a secure and scalable API layer that facilitated seamless communication between the app and external systems. It acted as a central entry point, ensuring efficient and controlled access to the app's functionalities.
Lambda
Lambda, AWS's serverless computing service, played a vital role in the app's architecture. AgileSRC leveraged Lambda functions to execute code without the need to provision or manage servers. This allowed for efficient and cost-effective execution of specific app functionalities, such as handling data processing and triggering events based on user actions.
RDS (Relational Database Service)
RDS provided a reliable and scalable database solution for the distillery planning app. AgileSRC utilized RDS to store and manage structured data related to bottling, raw materials control, timing, and production inventories. This ensured data integrity and provided efficient access to actionable details for the app's users.
WAF (Web Application Firewall)
To enhance security and protect the app from potential threats, AgileSRC implemented WAF. WAF provided advanced security features such as web traffic filtering and protection against common web vulnerabilities, safeguarding the app and its data from unauthorized access and malicious attacks.
DynamoDB
AgileSRC leveraged DynamoDB, a fully managed NoSQL database service, to store and retrieve non-relational data efficiently. DynamoDB's scalability and high-performance capabilities were utilized to handle the app's data requirements, enabling seamless access and retrieval of information related to production inventories, raw materials control, and more.
DocumentDB
AgileSRC utilized ECS to fully manage, scale, and harness serverless database services provided by AWS. This provided the client with high availability and automatic backups.
KMS (Key Management Service)
Key Management Service provided a fully managed service that enabled the creation, control, and management of encryption keys for securing data within the client's solution.
CloudFront
CloudFront provided a process to securely and efficiently deliver content, videos, applications, and APIs to users worldwide, with low latency and high data transfer speeds.
ECS (Elastic Container Service)
Elastic Container Service was utilized to fully manage container orchestration service. It permitted the client's admins to easily deploy, manage, and scale containerized applications using Docker containers, providing a scalable and cost-effective solution for the applications in a highly available and fault-tolerant environment.
By leveraging these AWS services, AgileSRC was able to develop a comprehensive solution that addressed the distillery's requirements, providing efficient calculations, controlled access, seamless data sharing, and actionable insights across various aspects of its operations.
Benefits
The initiative surpassed its initial goals, achieving significant success and high user acceptance and engagement. Verisk successfully provided easy access to valuable company data assets by enhancing its ability to apply suitable tools and computing power to the relevant data. Throughout the process, Verisk maintained stringent security controls over data and analytic environments, ensuring that end users received appropriate data access permissions with adequate insights and that Verisk would successfully pass the SOC-2 audit.
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About AgileSRC and AWS
With a focus on being highly responsive and adaptive, AgileSRC provides unique experience and capabilities that blend the right mixture of quality,
performance and cost. From short burn software development efforts, to designing and building end to end projects, AgileSRC can operate autonomously
or as a complementary team to help you achieve your technical and project goals. To achieve these goals AgileSRC depends on the advanced power and
solutions that AWS offers.