Blending data from heterogeneous sources and transforming it into actionable insights for businesses is what data warehousing is all about. According to Forbes, 95% of businesses consider raw data management an obstacle to effective decision-making. In such times, data warehouses come into action.
Data generated from internal business sources flows into a data warehouse to fuel strategic decision-making. By consolidating and centralizing business data from customer-facing applications, log files, and sales and finance apps, a data repository facilitates business intelligence tools to provide meaningful analytical reports. As the first data repository,they hold a strategic position in business operations. Let’s deep dive into the details.
What is Data Warehousing?
The Main Concept
As a business analyst, you cannot run queries and perform analysis without efficient data warehousing tools. Information from multiple business sources flows into databases. Once a data warehouse ingests information, data refinement and processing take place. Decision-makers can easily access the transformed data to analyze organizational performance, predict market trends, and generate business intelligence reports.
History and Evolution
Unlike the current business technologies that developed over time, data warehousing began in the 1980s as a form of assistance for data transformation. As globalization surged in the 1990s, the need for data storage systems increased alongside. Businesses now had greater access to computers, the internet, and networking opportunities which significantly gave rise to business intelligence systems. Although businesses had vast access to information, data inconsistency was widely observed. No matter how much information a business gathers, it is not possible to gain insights through fragmented data sources.
To make efficient use of business data, the need for a centralized storage space lingered in the heads of developers. Data storing warehouses were brought into existence to allow the smooth flow of information and data centralization. Businesses no longer anticipated inaccurate results because of data redundancy and inconsistency.
Inmol Bill, known as the father of the data warehouse, was the man behind the concept but it was not until two IBM employees Barry Devlin and Paul Murphy invented the first business data repository. Initially, data warehousing required a huge infrastructure, but with time, cloud-based warehouses are replacing the conventional ones. Today, most data storage systems are cloud-based which are faster and conveniently available on a per-user basis.
Three Main Types
- Operational Data Store
Having access to real-time information is crucial to identifying risks and minimizing them through the right strategies. Operational data stores provide a screenshot of the business processes in real-time. Businesses that aim to monitor their day-to-day activities prefer ODS.
- Enterprise Data Warehouse
Businesses that rely on vast amounts of data opt for enterprise data warehouses (EDW) that can contain stockpile information of an enterprise. What differentiates an EDW from a regular warehouse for data is its architecture and functionality. Decentralized information from different domains is consolidated into smaller segments present in an EDW which can easily be accessed by users.
- Data Marts
Data marts gather information from a single source point. As every business operates through various departments, data marts play an important role by segmenting information based on business lines. Users can customize it according to the information domain it supports.
Through data marts, businesses can access quicker information and generate reports for further analysis. Interestingly, independent data marts support data inflow from various sources too. Small-scale businesses opt for independent data marts since they do not require high-level data centralization and can generate results with minimal segmentation.
Data Repository Requirements
- In this fast-paced business environment, every organization relies on frequent and real-time data access to identify opportunities and minimize risks. Quick access to consistent and reliable data is only possible when businesses integrate data repositories into their systems.
- Data stored in manual records are always under the threat of being obsolete. Databases
store information to enable access to consistent data sources. Unlike conventional data storage systems, these data repositories guarantee to maintain data integrity throughout the storage and retrieval process.
- Are you looking for segmented data to simplify data analysis? Data warehousing customizes data according to your business line and departments. Now, you do not have to go through long hours of data retrieval for a single business decision as modern data repositories customize data storage for quick retrieval. At DotNet Report, we acknowledge the significance of data security. Hence, we provide our clients with multi-tenant client support to limit user access. With our built-in features, you maintain your data security and enjoy quick and relevant insights.
- Businesses often utilize their resources to the maximum extent and still remain far behind the benchmark. Through data warehousing, such businesses can identify hidden patterns and performance trends. By storing historical data and generating analytical reports, businesses can discover their shortcomings and boost performance. Embed DotNet Report Builder into your system and automate data analytics reporting. We offer built-in charts and dashboards to customize report layouts.
- With all the business information assimilated into one place, business intelligence accelerates. Integrate DotNet Report to your existing system and let us fuel your business growth through our BI tools and analytical reports.
Data Warehousing Tools
Every business requires different levels of data management, hence finding the right data warehousing tools that align with your requirements is essential. Here’s a curated list of the top data warehousing tools with all the features and specifications. Make your choice wisely.
1. Hevo Data
Adding convenience to your data analytics procedure, Hevo Data is a no-code data pipeline. Hevo’s ability to integrate into 100+ data sources gives it an edge over the competition. With easy integrations into SaaS apps, cloud storage, databases, SDKs, and streaming services, Hevo Data enables businesses to analyze data stored in any format.
Features
- Complete automation
- Access to real-time data
- 24/7 live monitoring and customer support
Pricing
- Free ($0/month)
- Starter ($249/month)
- Business (custom pricing)
2. Microsoft Azure
Are you looking for a data repository that offers innovative features and a feasible pricing model? Azure is your go-solution. Being present in the market for more than a decade now, Microsoft Azure equips users with different solutions according to their requirements.
- Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL is an ideal choice for smaller businesses with minimal data storage requirements. It is an automated Platform as a Service (PaaS) that stores up to 8 TB of data. Users choose Azure for high-performance technologies and efficient data processing.
2. Azure Synapse Analytics
For enterprise data analytics, Azure Synapse analytics is preferred. Businesses that opt for synapse analytics receive an end-to-end automated solution supported by Machine Learning.
Pricing Models
- Free services
- Pay-as-you-go
Start a chat session with Azure’s team to get more details.
3. Snowflake
Businesses often fail to adopt the latest technologies due to a shortage of technical expertise. Snowflake is a cloud-based data storage platform that offers an easy-to-use interface to users. This fully-automated data storage space requires zero supervision and stores data from massive data volumes on one platform. As organizations prefer real-time insights to make the right decisions, Snowflake provides employees with a multi-tenant system to allow smooth data flow within an organization.
Inside the Data Cloud
- Gain access to cloud data
- Comply with CCPA and GDPR data privacy regulations
- Regularize data analytics across all hierarchical levels
- Maintain global and local connections with Snowflake’s platform.
Pricing Models
Snowflake follows a consumption-based pricing model that charges according to the usage of computing and storage space. The compute costs are $0.00056/second per credit consumed, whereas storage costs are $23/compressed TB of data stored, averaged by days per month.
You can integrate DotNet Report’s easily embeddable ad hoc reporting engine into your chosen database to allow a seamless transition to high-quality actionable reports. With our platform, users can filter out information and drill down to any reports in minutes.
Examples
- Healthcare Industry
Data warehousing tools provide extensive support to the healthcare industry. Every process begins with data warehousing tools, from generating patients’ reports to sharing data with insurance companies.
- Investment Companies
For an investment company, monitoring constant market trends and historical data is crucial to remain competitive. Business databases identify industrial patterns, trends, and past performance to guide decisions.
- Government Sector
Business intelligence backs every operation of the government sector. Data repositories facilitate business intelligence by enabling governments to monitor auditing, taxation, and citizen policies.
- Construction Business
The use of data storage spaces is inevitable as multiple operations are going on in a construction business simultaneously. Business owners ingest purchase data, salaries, and employee records into the data repository to gain quicker access in the future.
Why DotNet Report?
Generating actionable insights is the end goal of data storage. DotNet Report offers an all-in-one solution for businesses that not only translates your raw data into visually appealing reports but also allows personalization from your end. We offer an open-source code that enables customized reporting on the front-end so that your reports align with the brand image. Our responsive customer support team guarantees to resolve any query within 24 hours.
Sign up for a free trial today or contact our team for more information.
