Table of Contents:

Definition and Overview

1. Introduction

2. Shifting Business Landscape

3. The Evolution

4. Business Intelligence Capabilities

5. Data Warehousing Fundamentals

6. Methodologies and Processes

7. Conclusion

Self-Test

Glossary

PDF of this tutorial

Definition
Data warehousing is the process of integrating enterprise-wide corporate data into a single repository. The resulting data warehouse may then support a variety of decision analysis functions as well as strategic operational functions. This data often originates from a variety of sources, formats, and types and is generally consolidated, transformed, and loaded into one or more instances of a database management system—usually a routing database management system (RDBMS)—to facilitate a broad range of analytical applications. The data warehouse may consist of a single large enterprise-wide database, to which users and administrators connect directly, or it may incorporate several smaller systems, called data marts, each of which addresses a specific subject area within the overall warehouse. As a technology, data warehousing is the foundation of the business intelligence capabilities that enable customer acquisition, customer care, and fraud prevention.

Overview
This tutorial presents the current business landscape and an increasingly popular business model and then explores the fundamental elements of data warehousing—from design methodologies and implementation issues to key technologies. Because the issue of investing immediately in a central, enterprise-wide data warehouse or starting small by segmenting data into one or more strategic data marts is often hotly debated, the tutorial will also outline the pros and cons of each approach.