Data Warehousing For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

Chapter 17. Delivering the Goods

In This Chapter

• Understanding data warehousing architectural fundamentals

• Getting the keys to your architecture

• Breaking down your architecture design

• Simplifying your architecture for the user

Remember the old Abbott and Costello routine in which they went back and forth about who was on first? Confusion ran rampant throughout that conversation — just like confusion reigns (unfortunately) in many data warehousing delivery efforts. In this chapter, I attempt to provide you with a common-sense framework to bring order to the chaos found in many enterprise data-management organizations attempting to deliver a data warehouse.

Exploring Architecture Principles

Have you ever been envious of other companies and their ability to deliver information to their users in a rapid, well-organized manner? You've purchased all the best-of-breed products. You have your first data mart up and running — well, you originally called it a data warehouse, but it serves only a small section of the enterprise, so you reclassified it as a data mart. You've found a receptive and excited user base just waiting for you to pick their business area for your next project. But while you begin to expand your data mart, you quickly begin to realize the products, platforms, and tools you previously implemented can't handle the voluminous data and users that you need to support in the new business area.

So, what do you do? Do you reevaluate the products? Purchase similar products from different ...