Data warehouses have emerged as a critical resource for business decision-making. As the main hub for the storage and analysis of large amounts of data, they offer organisations the ability to gain valuable insight, spot patterns/trends, and compare performance metrics. Let’s look at the different types pf data warehouses and their benefits.
Data warehouse types
Generally speaking, there are four main types of data warehouses: enterprise data warehouse (EDW), data mart, operational data store (ODS), and cloud data warehouse . Each has its strong points and may be more suited to certain applications.
Enterprise data warehouse (EDW)
An enterprise data warehouse is a central repository that stores and manages organisational data from various sources. It can support queries, data analysis, and reporting. EDWs are an excellent choice for large organisations that need a comprehensive overview of their data to support strategic decision-making and planning.
Data mart
A data mart is a subdivision of a data warehouse. Rather than covering an entire organisation’s data, it focuses on a specific business function or department. These data warehouses are fast, agile, and contain a smaller, more focused dataset. This can be a good choice for organisations at the beginning of their data warehousing journey, as they can get an idea of how it works.
Data collection experts
If you feel your business could benefit from the help of a specialist data collection company, there are a number of companies with experience in this field. Some of these, such as https://shepper.com/, have useful online resources.
Operational data store (ODS)
An operational data store focuses on ‘current’ operational data. It supports real-time decision-making and reporting, with only limited historical data. An ODS is ideal for businesses that need insights into what is happening at the current time, such as transaction processing/banking, supply chain management, and customer service.
Cloud data warehouse
This data warehousing solution uses existing cloud computing infrastructure/services. Cloud data warehouses can offer flexibility, scalability, and cost-efficiency. They are an excellent choice for organisations with limited resources that are seeking a fast and scalable solution.
