Data Warehouse Architectures -- <Two> Kimball’s Dimensional Data Warehouse

Like the Corporate Information Factory, this architecture begins by assuming a separation of the operational and analytic systems. As before, operational systems appear on the far left of the diagram. Again, these may incorporate data stores that are relational and nonrelational, and are likely to be numerous.

 

The dimensional data warehouse differs from the enterprise data warehouse in two important ways. First, it is designed according to the principles of dimensional modeling. It consists of a series of star schemas or cubes, which capture information at the lowest level of detail possible. This contrasts with the Inmon approach, where the enterprise data warehouse is designed using the principles of ER modeling.

Second, the dimensional data warehouse may be accessed directly by analytic systems. Although it is not required, this is explicitly permitted by the architecture. The concept of a data mart becomes a logical distinction; the data mart is a subject area within the data warehouse.

 

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Data warehouse will describe any solution that contains an analytic database, including stand-alone data marts. This term will not be meant to imply a central or integrated repository.

Enterprise data warehouse will be used to refer to the central repository of the Corporate Information Factory. Use of this term is not meant to imply that other data warehouse architectures lack an enterprise focus.

Data mart will refer to a subject area in any architecture. Use of this term is not meant to imply departmental focus or the lack of an enterprise context.

ETL will refer to any activity that moves information between structured data stores. The use of this term in the generic sense is not intended as a slight to the Corporate Information Factory, where it has a more specific definition.

Source system will refer to the computer system(s) from which a star schema gets its data. In the case of a data mart in a Corporate Information Factory, the source system is the enterprise data warehouse. In the case of a star schema in a dimensional data warehouse or stand-alone data mart, the source system is an operational system.

Business Intelligence will be used to describe any software product used to create reports and other information products for end users. It is not meant to imply a separate analytic data store, nor the use of any particular form of packaged software.