In a big data storage landscape, there are different types of data format (polyglot persistence), and if one needs to select and analyze a specific storage type from the list of stored data, then the service locator pattern comes in handy. It provides the flexibility to manipulate, filter, select, and co-relate services from the service catalog when storage access is with a SaaS model:

The preceding diagram shows a sample implementation of a service locator pattern. Observed data from various sources get aggregated and exposed through a service catalog and is available for visualization, or perhaps for further analysis. Service aggregators can aggregate services within or outside of enterprises. Different visualization tools can mix and match these services to show enterprise data alongside social media which is a different format than the other data source formats.