What does a data warehouse do?
Data warehouses are a system that manages data for the use of supporting and making activities possible through its analytical design. The intention of a data warehouse is to conduct and analyze searches through previous information. Obtaining the information is generally conducted through different origins like applications and log files.
When businesses are able to achieve insight through the data they analyze, their ability to make decisions becomes better. As time goes on, a log is created that allows data science professionals to integrate the data. Having this ability allows the data warehouse to be the place to go for information.
Data Warehouse Features
The features of data warehouses you should be aware of include:
Provides Subject Orientation
Being subject orientated allows the data warehouses to offer information related to the topic instead of the business process. Some of the topics involve the inventory, sales, or promotion. So, if you are looking to explore the sales of your company, then data warehouses need to be created that focuses on each sale. Having a warehouse like this is able to supply the information that is valuable.
Utilizes Integration
By utilizing integration, you are able to develop a data warehouse formed from many origins to create a stable environment. Warehouse storage must be completed in a way that is both accepted and stable as far as the coding, naming, and formatting are concerned. The data must be stored in the warehouse in a consistent and universally acceptable manner in terms of naming, format, and coding. In the end, the data analysis will be successful.
Retains Data
As soon as the data warehouse is inputted with data, it cannot be changed. The data is considered read-only and data that was inputted before also remains following new information. This will assist you in determining what took place in the past.
Instill Time Variance
The data warehouse data is associated by an amount of time that is clear and concise. This can be seen when it is displayed by a Primary Key that has a time element such as a day.
What is a data warehouse vs database?
While both data warehouses and databases have some things in common, they still have some differences. One key difference is with the database and the fact that the data that gets gathered is used for many reasons. In light of that, a data warehouse involves a huge amount of gathered data to carry out data analyzation. In a database, the data is real-time, and the data warehouse performs storage of the data for later access through queries.
What are the advantages of data warehouse?
One common goal that all companies have is to have better decisions made concerning business. With data warehouses, as soon as it becomes applied to your business's framework it will be able to provide many advantages such as the below:
Can provide smart decisions
When you have access to a variety of information from the same source, decisions can be made better without having a need to depend on data that is limited. Plus, data warehouses can implement any process a business uses such as sales, inventory, segmentation, and risk.
Time can be saved
The data warehouses are able to regulate, maintain, and save all data that comes from any source, which will aid in the data becoming stronger after being integrated with data.
Because of the crucial nature of data that all users have access to, the decisions become informed depending on what the issue is. Plus, the business owner is able to make searches without worrying about any involvement from other departments, which will save a lot of time.
Data becomes steady and valued
The data in data warehouses are transformed into a single system. Because of the arranged order of the data, the results produced will become reliable. This will in turn cause the data to be correct, making it the premise for the decisions that are made.
The Return on Investment becomes higher
When the data warehouses are invested in, a higher amount of revenue can be achieved and thus saving the company money.
Can obtain a competitor´s edge
By having a complete view of their situation, a data warehouse is able to assess the amount of risk and possibilities available to a company.
Provides an ability to confidently forecast
A data science expert is able to examine their data in order for accurate forecasts to be made, measure results, and recognize any and all KPIs. This will allow planning to take place.
How does a data warehouse work?
The combining of information and data takes place in the data warehouses, where it then gets stored in a database. A good instance of this is where information from a website, POS, or mailing list is combined. The warehouse may also include identifiable information pertaining to all employees. The many areas of a data warehouse are also used by a business for analyzation purposes.
A common method that data warehouses use is known as data mining. This involves seeking specific patterns of data and coming up with good ideas that will enhance profits for a business.