DW 2.0: The Architecture for the Next Generation of Data Warehousing

Excelente!!!!

After working on more than a half a dozen of DW projects using Kimball methodology I started to see repeating challenges which lead to decisions or thoughts that I wouldn't classify as Kimball approach. I thought it is the right thing to do but I didn't feel comfortable with that so I thought it is time to check Inmon point of view.Inmon tries to create a definition of DW 2.0 and I was positively surprised that many examples match my experience and decisions that I didn't feel comfortable with are actually important part of DW 2.0.Probably the most interesting part for me was that I agree with many aspects (not all) of DW 2.0 but actually my experience is only Kimball which shows quite a significant overlap. The book doesn't go into design details where more distinct differences could be made.If I compare it to Kimball I would say DW 2.0 is most applicable to large DW which is also what Inmon focuses on in his examples. What I learnt indirectly about Kimball is that it focuses on design and does not try to go into details of other important aspects of building a DW which are outside of the design; Inmon on the other hand does talk about it which I found very useful.Am I going to use Inmon now? I might use some concepts like interactive area for real time DW (which is rather a pain) and be more flexible with design for instance include exploration area and use Inmon Data Mart approach for Power Users needs but I will most likely stick to Kimball with his Data Mart definition for core DW development but that is largely due to projects I do. For large implementations where people are not at a stage of learning what is a data warehouse I will most likely consider Inmon approach...maybe not all of it but large part that was presented in this book.Take careEmil

If you want to know what, why and how of datawarehouse , this book is written in a fashion that non familiar audience can relate and understand.

Most Data Warehouses I have come across are still somewhere between 1.0 and 1.99 and are in maintenace phases. I would really recoomend that companies re-evaluate their whole DW/BI strategy and make the (quantum) leap to 2.0.

Awareness of this book arose following my recent reading of a white paper on Data Vault data modeling by Dan Linstedt that a recent client of mine had suggested. And although I was not impressed with that white paper, what I found intriguing is that Lindstedt quotes Bill Inmon as saying that "the Data Vault is the optimal choice for modeling the EDW in the DW 2.0 framework." Thus the acquisition of this text by Inmon. Almost everyone vaguely familiar with this industry space is probably familiar with Bill Inmon and Ralph Kimball. What is interesting is that Inmon, the "Father of Data Warehousing", is credited alongside two other individuals with writing this text. It is not transparent as to who actually wrote most of the content for "DW2.0", but what is quickly apparent is that most of the statements contained in the book are generalities, and the vast majority of the diagrams are deplorable, consisting mostly of inferior clip art that adds little to nothing to the discussion. Most of the material is presented in a theoretical manner with very little practical substance. This reviewer hesitates to even recommend this latest Inmon effort to client management. Even outside the domain of data warehousing, there seems to be something amiss with what the authors attempt to present. For example, chapter 6 consists of a 17-page discussion on "methodology and approach", and for the first 7 pages of this chapter, the authors discuss the spiral, waterfall, and iterative methodologies. Keeping in mind that there are various interpretations for each of these methodologies (see my reviews for "Agile & Iterative Development" by Larman and "Balancing Agility and Discipline" by Boehm and Turner, for example), the push of the authors to introduce spiral methodology as a "critical step toward success in second-generation data warehousing" is seemingly illogical. Despite all of this, however, what this text provides is as follows: (1) one of the first attempts to standardize data warehousing terminology in what is a very fragmented market segment, (2) explanation of high-level data warehousing concepts, and (3) suggestions on how to avoid some of the problems that have plagued enterprise data and how to manage the high influx of unstructured data that corporations are now creating. Keep in mind, however, that this book is tied into marketing "DW2.0" consulting and certification training, which may provide an explanation as to the vagueness of the material.