Architecting Database and Data Warehouse Solutions

Worobec Consulting

Architecting Database and Data Warehouse Solutions

Since 1987, Worobec Consulting has used a wide variety of databases, modeling tools, and design methodologies.  Depending on the length of your career, you may have heard the overall methodology described as Enterprise Data, Data Resource Management, Information Engineering, Information Resource Management, or some other derivation.  Modeling techniques and standards have evolved from simple Entity-Relationship Diagrams to IDEF1X, and most recently UML.  Terminology surrounding reporting data includes Data Marts, Data Warehouses, Multi-dimensional cubes, OLAP, Star Schemas, and so on.

The most I can say about this evolution is that each new wave seems to have ushered in a new group of vendors and consultants that claim the previous wave is obsolete.

The view of Worobec Consulting is that the best practices in Data Architecture have changed little over the years.  Some of the critical success factors are as follows:

Quality Data Architecture must begin with a correct understanding of business functions.  This is best accomplished through facilitated sessions attended by a diverse group of subject matter experts.  Conceptual and logical data models can then be built based on a complete understanding of the business.

Databases for processing transactions perform best when they are normalized based on a solid logical data model.

Databases for reporting require a carefully thought out strategy to de-normalize the data structure.  This is done to improve performance and ease the task or report writing.

Analytic processing, sometimes called OLAP, involves creating a dimensional model and implementing an advanced data structure such as a multi-dimensional cube.  Typical dimensions may include time, geography, product hierarchy, organization structure, or customer grouping.

Having said all that, you probably still want to know the databases and tools Worobec Consulting has used.  Here goes:

Databases:  SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, MS Access

Modeling Tools:  ER/Win, System Architect, Visio, RFFlow, IEF

Cognos Products:  Decision Stream, Power Play

Database and Data Warehouse Design