Analytic Vision

Whether you are implementing a simple report writing product, a more sophisticated OLAP solution, or a data mining tool, a properly designed supporting data warehouse will enhance ease of use and query performance for your end users. Analytic Vision has many years of experience in designing (and developing) dimensional models to optimize the business intelligence environments for many companies. While we base many of our design techniques on the "Ralph Kimball" approach, we realize that some theoretical design solutions are not necessarily the best real-world solutions. We optimize our dimensional models based on each client’s environment and the data access tools that they have selected.

A dimensional model is a database design that is optimized for ease of use and query performance, with end-user reporting and ad hoc analysis in mind. An operational database is typically a normalized database that has hundreds of files and is optimized for transaction processing. A dimensional model is typically a star-schema database design that minimizes the number of tables and only holds data elements required for reporting and analysis. Each star schema is based on a subject area of the business such as sales analysis or inventory analysis. A star-schema data model consists of Dimension tables and Fact tables.

·         A Dimension table identifies a major perspective of a business data set such as Customers

·         A Fact table holds the metrics for a given subject area such as units sold

·         Fewer tables improves query performance by having fewer joins

·         Fewer tables improves ease of use for end users doing ad hoc analysis

·         Field names utilize end-user terminology instead of generic ERP package names

·         Loading of multidimensional databases is simplified, and low level drill-through is enabled

·         A separate server box improves performance for both the production and reporting environments

·         Reporting consistency is achieved through conformed dimensions

This last benefit described is the key to an integrated data warehouse. A Conformed Dimension is a dimension that is shared across fact tables. This guarantees that the same terminology and values will be used throughout all reporting in the organization, which eliminates departmental conflicts over terminology definitions and relates one truth to all users.

Analytic Vision believes that implementing a properly designed data warehouse is the foundation for a successful enterprise business intelligence solution. We can work side by side with your data architects and transfer knowledge on the nuances of star-schema design.