1. Simplicity. The most frequently (59, 13 percent of 456 articles)
mentioned advantage of data warehousing is summarized as
"simplicity." Data warehousing makes business simple because a data
warehouse provides a single image of business reality by integrating various
data. Data warehouses allow existing legacy systems to continue in operation,
consolidate inconsistent data from various legacy systems into one coherent
set, and reap benefits from vital information about current operations
[Hackathorn, 1995; Wallace, 1994a]. Current operations can be monitored and
compared with past operations, predictions of future operations can be
rationally made, new business processes can be devised, and new operational systems
quickly spawn to support those processes [Fairhead, 1995; Hackathorn, 1995;
Ricciuti, 1994a; Smith, 1995d; Wallace, 1994a; Weinberg, 1995a]. Data
warehouses can also store large amounts of historical data and corporatewide
data that companies need to turn into vital business information [Bull, 1995b;
Brown, 1995; Cafasso, 1994d; Eckerson, 1993b; Hackathorn, 1995; Lisker, 1994;
Nash, 1995c; Smith, 1995f; Wallace, 1994a]. Data warehouses offer the benefit
of a single, centralized data location while maintaining local client/server
distribution [Ricciuti, 1994a]. Furthermore, data warehouses are companywide
systems [Hoffman and Nash, 1995]; therefore, they improve corporatewide
communication [Seybold, 1995].
2. Better quality data; improved productivity. The second most frequently (53; 12 percent) mentioned advantage is better quality data [Wallace, 1994b]. Other data quality issues include consistency, accuracy, and documentation [Ladaga, 1995; Ricciuti, 1994a; Wallace, 1994b]. Improved decision making through OLAP and data mining analysis were mentioned as improvements in productivity [Barry, 1995; Barquin, 1995; Broda, 1995; Henderson, 1996; Mason, 1995].
3. Fast access. The next most frequently mentioned (48; 11 percent) advantage is "fast access." Since data warehouses allow users to retrieve necessary data by themselves, the work log of IS can be cut. The necessary data is in one place, so systems response time should be reduced [Bull, 1995b; Fairhead, 1995; Goldberg, 1995b; Lisker, 1994; Parsons, 1995; Reardon, 1995].
4. Easy to use. Forty seven or 10 percent of the articles mentioned "easy to use." Queries from users do not interfere with normal operations, because a data warehouse enables easy access to business data without slowing down the operational database by taking some of the operational data and putting it in a separate database [Bull, 1995b; Burleson, 1995; Fairhead, 1995; Lisker, 1994; Ricciuti, 1994a; Smith, 1995d; Smith, 1995f; Wallace, 1994a; Wallace, 1994b]. Data warehouses focus on subjects [Barquin, 1995; Broda, 1995], support on-time, ad-hoc queries for fast decision-making as well as the regular reporting [Broda, 1995; Myers, 1995a]; and they are targeted at end users [Adhikari, 1996; Burleson, 1995; Smith, 1995d; Wallace, 1994a; Wallace, 1994b].
5. Separate decision-support operation from production operation. Another advantage mentioned in 32 articles (7 percent) is that data warehouses are built in order to separate operational, continually updated transaction data from historical, more static data required for business analysis. By doing so, managers and analysts can use historical data for their decision-making activities without slowing down the production operation [Francett, 1995b; Taft, 1995; Wallace, 1994a].
6. Gives competitive advantage. Twenty six articles or 6 percent of them mention that data warehouses better manage and utilize corporate knowledge, which in turn helps a business become more competitive, better understand customers, and more rapidly meet market demands [Wallace, 1994a; Wallace, 1994b]. Therefore, this benefit can justify the large expense [Barquin, 1995].
7. Ultimate distributed database. Fifteen (3 percent) of the articles discuss data warehouses pulling together information from disparate and potentially incompatible locations throughout the organization and putting it to good use. Middleware, data transfer software and other client/server tools are used to link those disparate data sources. A data warehouse is an ultimate distributed database [Burleson, 1995; Reardon, 1995; Wallace, 1994a].
8. Operation cost. In fourteen (3 percent) articles, it is said that data warehouses provide fertile ground to architect new operational systems [Hackathorn, 1995]. It eliminates paper based files [Cafasso, 1994d; Hackathorn, 1995; Ladaga, 1995; Parsons, 1995; Santosus, 1995; Wallace, 1994b] and once the initial investment is covered, the organization's information-technology group generally requires fewer resources [Barquin, 1995].
9. Information flow management. The next highly mentioned topic (13; 3 percent) is that data warehouses handle a large amount of data from various operational data sources, and data warehouses manages the flow of information rather than just collecting data. To respond to changing business needs, production systems are constantly changing along with their data encoding and structures. Data warehouses, especially the meta data, help continuous incremental refinement that must track both production systems and the changing business environment [Barquin, 1995; Hackathorn, 1995].
10. Enables parallel processing. Eleven (2 percent) of these authors indicate that parallel processing helps users perform database tasks more quickly [Brown, 1995; Bull, 1995b; Stedman, 1995a]. Users can ask questions that were too process-intensive to answer before and data warehouse can handle more customers, users, transactions, queries, and messages. It supports the higher performance demands in client/server environment, provides unlimited scaleability, and thus, better price/performance [Capacity Management Review, 1995].
11. Robust processing engines. Ten (2 percent) of the articles mention that data warehouses allow users to directly obtain and refine data from different software applications without affecting the operational databases, and to integrate different business tasks into a single, streamlined process supported by real-time information. This provides users with robust processing engines [Goldberg, 1995b; Seybold, 1995].
12. Platform independent. Seven (2 percent) of the articles point out that data warehouses can be built on everything from a high-end PC to a mainframe, although many are choosing Unix servers and running their warehouses in a client/server environment. IBM and other five data warehouse software venders formed alliances to clear the cross-platform hurdles inherent in data warehouse implementation. Similar partnerships have been formed by other vendors. It is crucial to have such independence which was not easy in the legacy system [Systems Management 3X 400, 1995; Wallace, 1994a].
13. Computing infrastructure. Seven (2 percent) of the articles mention data warehousing helps the organization create a computing infrastructure that can support changes in computer systems and business structures [Wallace, 1994b].
14. Downsizing facilitation. Six (1 percent) articles suggest that data warehouses empower employees to make decentralized decisions since they put information closer to users. They are designed to give end users faster access to the information that is already there without impacting other systems or resources. Therefore, users do not need to ask IS to get needed data and IS managers can concentrate on other tasks. This potentially cuts the information middle-man who passes information from one place to another and suggests downsizing [Bull, 1995b; Seybold, 1995a].
15. Quantitative value. Another advantage, mentioned in six articles (1 percent), is realistic benchmarking. Data warehouses provide the quantitative metrics necessary to establish business process baselines that are derived from historical data and allow business managers to measure progress [Jain, 1995; Modisette, 1996].
16. Security. Three (1 percent) articles talk about the fact that clients of the data warehouses cannot directly query the production databases, thus improving security of the production databases as well as their productivity [Ricciuti, 1994a]. Some warehouses also provide management services for handling security [Smith, 1996].
2. Better quality data; improved productivity. The second most frequently (53; 12 percent) mentioned advantage is better quality data [Wallace, 1994b]. Other data quality issues include consistency, accuracy, and documentation [Ladaga, 1995; Ricciuti, 1994a; Wallace, 1994b]. Improved decision making through OLAP and data mining analysis were mentioned as improvements in productivity [Barry, 1995; Barquin, 1995; Broda, 1995; Henderson, 1996; Mason, 1995].
3. Fast access. The next most frequently mentioned (48; 11 percent) advantage is "fast access." Since data warehouses allow users to retrieve necessary data by themselves, the work log of IS can be cut. The necessary data is in one place, so systems response time should be reduced [Bull, 1995b; Fairhead, 1995; Goldberg, 1995b; Lisker, 1994; Parsons, 1995; Reardon, 1995].
4. Easy to use. Forty seven or 10 percent of the articles mentioned "easy to use." Queries from users do not interfere with normal operations, because a data warehouse enables easy access to business data without slowing down the operational database by taking some of the operational data and putting it in a separate database [Bull, 1995b; Burleson, 1995; Fairhead, 1995; Lisker, 1994; Ricciuti, 1994a; Smith, 1995d; Smith, 1995f; Wallace, 1994a; Wallace, 1994b]. Data warehouses focus on subjects [Barquin, 1995; Broda, 1995], support on-time, ad-hoc queries for fast decision-making as well as the regular reporting [Broda, 1995; Myers, 1995a]; and they are targeted at end users [Adhikari, 1996; Burleson, 1995; Smith, 1995d; Wallace, 1994a; Wallace, 1994b].
5. Separate decision-support operation from production operation. Another advantage mentioned in 32 articles (7 percent) is that data warehouses are built in order to separate operational, continually updated transaction data from historical, more static data required for business analysis. By doing so, managers and analysts can use historical data for their decision-making activities without slowing down the production operation [Francett, 1995b; Taft, 1995; Wallace, 1994a].
6. Gives competitive advantage. Twenty six articles or 6 percent of them mention that data warehouses better manage and utilize corporate knowledge, which in turn helps a business become more competitive, better understand customers, and more rapidly meet market demands [Wallace, 1994a; Wallace, 1994b]. Therefore, this benefit can justify the large expense [Barquin, 1995].
7. Ultimate distributed database. Fifteen (3 percent) of the articles discuss data warehouses pulling together information from disparate and potentially incompatible locations throughout the organization and putting it to good use. Middleware, data transfer software and other client/server tools are used to link those disparate data sources. A data warehouse is an ultimate distributed database [Burleson, 1995; Reardon, 1995; Wallace, 1994a].
8. Operation cost. In fourteen (3 percent) articles, it is said that data warehouses provide fertile ground to architect new operational systems [Hackathorn, 1995]. It eliminates paper based files [Cafasso, 1994d; Hackathorn, 1995; Ladaga, 1995; Parsons, 1995; Santosus, 1995; Wallace, 1994b] and once the initial investment is covered, the organization's information-technology group generally requires fewer resources [Barquin, 1995].
9. Information flow management. The next highly mentioned topic (13; 3 percent) is that data warehouses handle a large amount of data from various operational data sources, and data warehouses manages the flow of information rather than just collecting data. To respond to changing business needs, production systems are constantly changing along with their data encoding and structures. Data warehouses, especially the meta data, help continuous incremental refinement that must track both production systems and the changing business environment [Barquin, 1995; Hackathorn, 1995].
10. Enables parallel processing. Eleven (2 percent) of these authors indicate that parallel processing helps users perform database tasks more quickly [Brown, 1995; Bull, 1995b; Stedman, 1995a]. Users can ask questions that were too process-intensive to answer before and data warehouse can handle more customers, users, transactions, queries, and messages. It supports the higher performance demands in client/server environment, provides unlimited scaleability, and thus, better price/performance [Capacity Management Review, 1995].
11. Robust processing engines. Ten (2 percent) of the articles mention that data warehouses allow users to directly obtain and refine data from different software applications without affecting the operational databases, and to integrate different business tasks into a single, streamlined process supported by real-time information. This provides users with robust processing engines [Goldberg, 1995b; Seybold, 1995].
12. Platform independent. Seven (2 percent) of the articles point out that data warehouses can be built on everything from a high-end PC to a mainframe, although many are choosing Unix servers and running their warehouses in a client/server environment. IBM and other five data warehouse software venders formed alliances to clear the cross-platform hurdles inherent in data warehouse implementation. Similar partnerships have been formed by other vendors. It is crucial to have such independence which was not easy in the legacy system [Systems Management 3X 400, 1995; Wallace, 1994a].
13. Computing infrastructure. Seven (2 percent) of the articles mention data warehousing helps the organization create a computing infrastructure that can support changes in computer systems and business structures [Wallace, 1994b].
14. Downsizing facilitation. Six (1 percent) articles suggest that data warehouses empower employees to make decentralized decisions since they put information closer to users. They are designed to give end users faster access to the information that is already there without impacting other systems or resources. Therefore, users do not need to ask IS to get needed data and IS managers can concentrate on other tasks. This potentially cuts the information middle-man who passes information from one place to another and suggests downsizing [Bull, 1995b; Seybold, 1995a].
15. Quantitative value. Another advantage, mentioned in six articles (1 percent), is realistic benchmarking. Data warehouses provide the quantitative metrics necessary to establish business process baselines that are derived from historical data and allow business managers to measure progress [Jain, 1995; Modisette, 1996].
16. Security. Three (1 percent) articles talk about the fact that clients of the data warehouses cannot directly query the production databases, thus improving security of the production databases as well as their productivity [Ricciuti, 1994a]. Some warehouses also provide management services for handling security [Smith, 1996].
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