Data Warehouse Development

The data warehouse focuses on gathering data from source content areas and then storing the data in a useful way for later consumption.

A data warehouse is usually split up into three focus areas:

• Data staging area – This area is where data from operational systems or other content providers is stored.
• Translation and integration area – This area is where data is transformed, aggregated, and enhanced to be most useful for later consumption.
• Information access area – This area is used for getting information out of the data warehouse for presentation or other uses.

The data contained in the data warehouse presentation tables is organized for decision support purposes and is often published out to specific data marts that are directly accessed with reporting and other business intelligence tools.

When building a new data warehouse it is critical to use mainstream industry standard dimensional modeling techniques. This approach enables users and processes to access the information in the warehouse from a number of different angles. It is also important to use a phased approach where the data warehouse can be initially created and then extended by adding new content areas within an iterative release management framework.

SD3 can assist your organization with their Data Warehouse needs including:

• Plan your data warehouse strategy
• Create data warehouse architecture
• Gather and document data warehouse requirements
• Create source to target mapping documentation
• Define required transformations
• Perform data profiling
• Select data warehouse tools
• Install, configure and administer the entire data warehouse tool and data storage environment
• Design and develop the data warehouse areas including:

   

  • Presentation Tables and Data Marts
  • ETL process
  • Materialized Views and aggregations
  • Multi-dimensional data cubes

SD3 consultants have worked with a number of data warehouse technologies including:

• Business Objects
• Informatica
• IBM DataStage
• DB2/UDB
• Oracle
• Microsoft SQL Server, Integration Services (SSIS), Analysis Services (SSAS) and Data Transformation Services (DTS)
• Greenplum
• Teradata

Contact SD3 to schedule a complimentary Data Warehouse strategy and planning session.