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Oracle8i data warehousing
Corey M., Abbey M., Abramson I., Taub B., Osborne/McGraw-Hill, Berkeley, CA, 2001. 831 pp. Type: Book (9780072126754)
Date Reviewed: Oct 1 2001

Most information systems use relational database management systems (RDBMSs) for handling data. Oracle, the most popular RDBMS, is used for various applications, including those for business. The data stored through processing of the various transactions of a system are generally not used effectively for managerial decision making at various levels of organizations. Recent research is focused on various methods of using such data effectively for decision making by managers. One such method is data warehousing, and the associated data mining. Oracle added the data warehousing facility to Oracle 8i, and it has recently become part of Oracle 9i. This book familiarizes readers with the concepts behind data warehousing and with using the data warehousing facility of Oracle 8i.

The book begins with the basics, defining such concepts as data warehousing, the decision support system, and the business intelligence system. Data warehouse applications only read the real database of a system after creating a small database.

In the following chapter, the terms “data warehouse” and “data mining” are introduced. Various data warehousing tools, such as online analytical processing (OLAP), the report writer, geographic information system (GIS), and executive information system (EIS) are briefly described. Chapters 4 and 5 are important for managing the project with an effective team. Chapters 5 and 6 outline a brief methodology of data warehousing design and an architecture that relates the data warehouse to the real database of the system. Chapter 7 introduces the design of a database of a data warehouse as a star schema. The next chapter gives a procedure for creating a database with Oracle’s View facility. The role of SQL*Plus for processing is emphasized. Chapter 9 describes the concept of extract, transform, and load (ETL) in the design of a data warehousing facility.

Chapter 10 briefly describes various tools and techniques to load the database of a data warehouse. Oracle Warehouse Builder (OWB) is a specific facility from Oracle, and forms the main topic of chapter 11. General implementation considerations are discussed from chapter 12 to chapter 17. Specifically, partitioning, indexing, backup, security, storage, and timing form important topics of these chapters.

Chapters 18 and 19 are concerned with the features of output and summarization with the Oracle VIEW facility. Chapters 20 through 23 describe the processing tools of the database of a data warehousing system. OLAP concepts and tools from COGNOS are also briefly described. The next chapter introduces the novel ideas of relational OLAP (ROLAP) and multidimensional OLAP (MOLAP) as further refinements in the use of data warehousing concepts. Chapters 22 and 23 touch on Oracle Discoverer, which is an EIS facility, and Oracle Express, which is the OLAP facility of Oracle. The authors have defined data mining as knowledge discovery in databases (KDD). Use of Oracle’s DARWIN is described in the context of data mining. The last chapter is concerned with the role of intranets and the Internet in the context of data warehousing. This chapter is important in the context of the popularity of the Internet and its relevance to information systems, specifically in business applications.

This book is a good reference on data warehousing for systems people who are using Oracle. A few of the book’s chapters could be used as supplementary material for a data warehousing course at the graduate level. Considering the complexity of data warehousing concepts, this book is acceptable. It has short examples that describe various concepts, but an integrated example would have increased the book’s value by reducing the content of some of the chapters. There are no exercises, since the book is not meant to be a textbook. The lack of references and a glossary will be felt by readers, however, even though a few references are embedded in the text itself. Overall, the book is a good reference to data warehousing using Oracle for database administrators, systems, experts, and managers.

Reviewer:  V B Kaujalgi Review #: CR125477 (0110-0368)
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