DataWarehouse Process

Question

DataWarehouse Process

Joe Contreras

Ten Centuries

Points: 1341
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June 1, 2005 at 7:03 am

#152427

Hi everyone,
I'm in the process of creating a datawarehouse for an ERP system. My questions deal with process and guidance.
I've identify the necessary tables from the ERP systems Oracle database and created a DTS packages that pulls the tables from the ERP system into SQL Server 2000.
Questions:
1. What are my next steps?
2.   Can anyone provide reading material?
3.   I just bought the book "The Data Warehouse ETL ToolKit", Is that a good book?
4.   How do I leverage the Analysis Services?

Thanks,
Joe

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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wildh SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4370 More actions · Answer 1

Joe,

In my opinion you apprear to be handling this in reverse. You usually only identify which tables you want from the ERP system based on the project requirements, rather that extract some tables and then start a project.

Reading materials - anything by Bill Inmon and Ralph Kimbal is a good start. Microsoft has a multitude of web pages on datawarehouseing and analysis services. "Step by Step - MS SQL 2000 analysis services" is a good start for A/S.

Not sure how good the book you bought is, but most books have something of value.

Happy learning.

landrake Ten Centuries Points: 1209 More actions · Answer 2

Joe,

I agree with wildh. Normally I start by asking the users and managers what metrics and dimensions are important. Then, because this usually doesn't get everything, I ask what questions they would like answered and which decisions they want supported. From the answers you can decide what your mix of detail-level and OLAP reporting will be. Then it's simply a matter of developing the tightest and best indexed datamart you can. Remember, you can always add data as the users become familiar with what you have out there.

Donhttp://www.biadvantage.com

Joe Contreras Ten Centuries Points: 1341 More actions · Answer 3

Hi,

I've already gone through step 1 - Business Requirements phase(metrics). I've created a DTS package that only pulls the necessary metrics table. This is POC on selling the idea of datawarehousing, so my tableset is relatively small.

From a conceptial point of view, I'm beginning to get a good understanding, however since I'm relatively new to datawarehousing, I'm looking for advice on process - best practices utilizing SQL Server 2000, i.e is Analysis Services the tool to use how do I leverage Analysis Services, etc.

Thanks,

Joe

landrake Ten Centuries Points: 1209 More actions · Answer 4

Joe,

As wildh suggested, any books by Kimball or Inmon are good. After that, it's a matter of experience and practice to be able to deliver a useful reporting/analysis platform. Of course, maybe hiring a data warehouse consultant for the first project would help. You could then derive some best practices and techniques from whatever deliverables are provided.

Donhttp://www.biadvantage.com

Joe Contreras Ten Centuries Points: 1341 More actions · Answer 5

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. What I've done is bought something like 3-5 books on datawarehousing/datamarts/data cleansing/data conforming, etc. and have gone online to read as many articles as well. I feel I have a solid understand and basically just practicing and validating data through analysis services. Once again thanks everyone