DATA WAREHOUSING FUNDAMENTALS: A Comprehensive Guide for IT Professionals

18.3. PHYSICAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

We have traced the steps for the physical design of the data warehouse. Each step consists of specific activities that finally lead to the physical model. When you look back at the steps, one step relates to the physical storage structure and several others deal with the performance of the data warehouse. Physical storage and performance are significant factors. We will cover these two in sufficient depth later in the chapter.

In this section, we will firm up our understanding of the physical model itself. Let us review the components and track down what it takes to move from the logical model to the physical model. First, let us begin with the overall objectives of the physical design process.

18.3.1. Physical Design Objectives

When you perform the logical design of the database, your goal is to produce a conceptual model that reflects the information content of the real-world situation. The logical model represents the overall data components and the relationships. The objectives of the physical design process do not center on the structure. In physical design, you are getting closer to the operating systems, the database software, the hardware, and the platform. You are now more concerned about how the model is going to work than on how the model is going to look.

If you want to summarize, the major objectives of the physical design process are improving performance on the one hand, and improving the management of the stored data on the ...