The The

Data WarehouseData Warehouse

JourneyJourney

1/1/20121/1/2012

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The Data Warehouse Journey

So, you are going to build a data warehouse?So, you are going to build a data warehouse?

In the next few slides I hope to share with In the next few slides I hope to share with you some of the more ‘entertaining’ aspects you some of the more ‘entertaining’ aspects of a typical data warehousing projectof a typical data warehousing project

I have reduced the size of the photos to keep I have reduced the size of the photos to keep the presentation as small as possiblethe presentation as small as possible

I hope you enjoy the show!!I hope you enjoy the show!!

You start your project in hope, seeking You start your project in hope, seeking gloryglory

You want to build You want to build something that will besomething that will be ImpressiveImpressive Immediately Immediately

recognisablerecognisableEnduringEnduringA testament to your skillA testament to your skill

You plan that it will beYou plan that it will beElegantElegantSophisticatedSophisticatedA beacon for all to A beacon for all to

seeseeA place of learning for A place of learning for

your successors your successors

You plan toYou plan to Pay attention to detailsPay attention to details Get everything rightGet everything right Make your mark in the data warehouse Make your mark in the data warehouse

worldworld

You will build the ultimate in drill You will build the ultimate in drill down!!down!!

You will lead them to freedom from the You will lead them to freedom from the tyranny of lack of information!!tyranny of lack of information!!

You will give the people what You will give the people what they they say they want…say they want…

You will be You will be remembered long remembered long after your timeafter your time

With success in this With success in this project, your project, your career will blast offcareer will blast off

You have invested in the latest You have invested in the latest technologytechnology

You got a great deal You got a great deal on a (slightly used) dw on a (slightly used) dw methodologymethodology

They say you pay for They say you pay for methodologies by the methodologies by the pound and this one is pound and this one is really heavy! It should really heavy! It should be great!!be great!!

It even has a map on It even has a map on how to avoid the how to avoid the dragons of a DW dragons of a DW project!!project!!

You set out on your great adventureYou set out on your great adventure The sun is shining, the gods are smiling, all is The sun is shining, the gods are smiling, all is

good with the world…good with the world…

Some small clouds appearSome small clouds appear But it’s nothing you can’t handleBut it’s nothing you can’t handle

The surrounding business environment The surrounding business environment turns stormyturns stormy

You signal for helpYou signal for help

The road ahead looks distinctly chillyThe road ahead looks distinctly chilly But you will hang with itBut you will hang with it

The obstacles seem The obstacles seem insurmountable…insurmountable…

Everything is an uphill battle…Everything is an uphill battle…

The chill wind of ‘lack of funds’ blows over The chill wind of ‘lack of funds’ blows over your glorious project…your glorious project…

……and then…it gets worse…and then…it gets worse… You feel your boat and crew are headed for You feel your boat and crew are headed for

disasterdisaster You try desperately to avoid a watery grave…You try desperately to avoid a watery grave…

Success…or so it seems…Success…or so it seems…

You have averted this disaster but you have You have averted this disaster but you have to turn back and do some rework to turn back and do some rework

The schedule moves outThe schedule moves out

Your boss…who you thought was a supporter, Your boss…who you thought was a supporter, suddenly seems different, somehow suddenly seems different, somehow changed…changed…

Your users demand a Your users demand a meeting to discuss meeting to discuss progressprogress

They are acting like They are acting like babiesbabies

They want the data They want the data warehouse nowwarehouse now

They don’t They don’t understand the understand the issuesissues

You feel constrained by new budget You feel constrained by new budget restrictionsrestrictions

Your team are bending over backwards to Your team are bending over backwards to get the job doneget the job done

You are inspired by their level of flexibility You are inspired by their level of flexibility and co-operationand co-operation

There is one There is one member of the team member of the team who is prone to who is prone to tantrumstantrums

You tell him to grow You tell him to grow up and be a up and be a professionalprofessional

But…But…

……the other members of the team take the other members of the team take matters into their own handsmatters into their own hands

You are forgiven for not understanding this one. It is a bit You are forgiven for not understanding this one. It is a bit obtuse. The photograph is of the site of the Boston obtuse. The photograph is of the site of the Boston Massacre.Massacre.

You feel attacked You feel attacked from all sides…from all sides…

You have never You have never experienced experienced anything like it anything like it before…before…

The clouds start to The clouds start to clearclear

The sun comes outThe sun comes out The rainbow signals The rainbow signals

the coming of better the coming of better timestimes

Finally, it seems a Finally, it seems a long time has passed, long time has passed, but you are climbing but you are climbing out of the endless out of the endless ‘valley of torment and ‘valley of torment and trauma’…trauma’…

Finally, you have Finally, you have delivered...delivered...

You review the initial plansYou review the initial plans You think about the past few You think about the past few

monthsmonths You know You know

It’s not quite what was asked It’s not quite what was asked for for

It’s not quite what was It’s not quite what was promisedpromised

But with all the traumas forced But with all the traumas forced on you from outside the projecton you from outside the project

And the tensions inside the And the tensions inside the project teamproject team

You are proud to have delivered You are proud to have delivered something that is kind of like something that is kind of like what the users asked for….what the users asked for….

The Data Warehouse Journey

Welcome back. We hope you enjoyed the Welcome back. We hope you enjoyed the show!!show!!

““But what is the point of the show?”But what is the point of the show?” The point of the show is we’d like to help The point of the show is we’d like to help

you avoid some of the ‘traumas’ of the DW you avoid some of the ‘traumas’ of the DW project in the storyproject in the story

BI4ALL and SeETL will save you a great deal BI4ALL and SeETL will save you a great deal of time, money and traumaof time, money and trauma They provide support for all aspects of building a They provide support for all aspects of building a

star schema data warehouse. star schema data warehouse.

Please take the time to read through our Please take the time to read through our sales presentation on our web sitesales presentation on our web site

Summary

Data Warehouse Projects can be difficult Data Warehouse Projects can be difficult projects, more so than mostprojects, more so than most

The changing business environment will The changing business environment will put pressures on you and your projectput pressures on you and your project

Books and classes will help….but…Books and classes will help….but… Having a Data Model and the worlds most Having a Data Model and the worlds most

cost effective ETL tools will helpcost effective ETL tools will help Combine that with world class experience Combine that with world class experience

and you chances of success are far betterand you chances of success are far better Whatever you choose to do, we wish you Whatever you choose to do, we wish you

all the best on your data warehouse all the best on your data warehouse projectproject

Thank You for Your Time!

Explanation of the Photographs I know that people will ask me. So what are all these photographs and where did they I know that people will ask me. So what are all these photographs and where did they

come from? So here is the answer. come from? So here is the answer. Yes, they were all taken by me as I have travelled around. The photos you see are, Yes, they were all taken by me as I have travelled around. The photos you see are,

in order of appearance in the presentation.in order of appearance in the presentation. Massachusetts State House. A stunning building in Boston next to the park. It was Massachusetts State House. A stunning building in Boston next to the park. It was

designed by Charles Bulfinch when he was just 24 years old. It was being renovated designed by Charles Bulfinch when he was just 24 years old. It was being renovated while I was there.while I was there.

Canadian National Tower in Toronto. You can actually stand on a clear perspex floor Canadian National Tower in Toronto. You can actually stand on a clear perspex floor at the top of the tower and look down. Drive your senses crazy.at the top of the tower and look down. Drive your senses crazy.

Big Tom Tower at Christ Church (College) at Oxford University England. In typical Big Tom Tower at Christ Church (College) at Oxford University England. In typical Oxford fashion the bell is run at 9:05pm every evening, Oxford being 5 minutes Oxford fashion the bell is run at 9:05pm every evening, Oxford being 5 minutes behind GMT. It was at this college that Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carol) wrote the behind GMT. It was at this college that Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carol) wrote the immortal ‘Alice in Wonderland’. You can go to ‘Alices Shop’ across from the main immortal ‘Alice in Wonderland’. You can go to ‘Alices Shop’ across from the main entrance of Christ Church as Alice Liddell must have in those days.entrance of Christ Church as Alice Liddell must have in those days.

The drill down is the view of the lake in the middle of Bergen (Norway) as viewed The drill down is the view of the lake in the middle of Bergen (Norway) as viewed from Floyen which is one of the seven hills around Bergen. A great view!from Floyen which is one of the seven hills around Bergen. A great view!

A marker for the start of the ‘Freedom Trail’ in BostonA marker for the start of the ‘Freedom Trail’ in Boston A bust of Alfred Nobel outside the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway.A bust of Alfred Nobel outside the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway. A thatched roof house in Illfy near Oxford in England. This is about 50 yards from A thatched roof house in Illfy near Oxford in England. This is about 50 yards from

one of the best preserved medieval churches in England, St Marys at Illfy. They have one of the best preserved medieval churches in England, St Marys at Illfy. They have a board in the church for the ‘incumbents’ with the first ‘incumbent’ dated 1170. Just a board in the church for the ‘incumbents’ with the first ‘incumbent’ dated 1170. Just 100 years after the Normal conquest of England.100 years after the Normal conquest of England.

The ‘methodology’ is actually a rune stone from around 900-1000AD that is now in The ‘methodology’ is actually a rune stone from around 900-1000AD that is now in Skansen Park in Stockholm Sweden. Skansen is the #1 attraction in Stockholm for Skansen Park in Stockholm Sweden. Skansen is the #1 attraction in Stockholm for my money. As the slogan says, if you only have 1 day in Stockholm, it must be spent my money. As the slogan says, if you only have 1 day in Stockholm, it must be spent at Skansen. It is a magnificent outdoor museum full of collections of houses and at Skansen. It is a magnificent outdoor museum full of collections of houses and wares from across Sweden stretching back over 1000 years. wares from across Sweden stretching back over 1000 years.

Explanation of the Photographs The next set of photographs are the briefest of brief glimpses of Sognorfjorden. The The next set of photographs are the briefest of brief glimpses of Sognorfjorden. The

largest fjord in Norway. This is part of a tour called ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ which I firmly largest fjord in Norway. This is part of a tour called ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ which I firmly believe all people in the would should have the privilege to experience. Alas, this will believe all people in the would should have the privilege to experience. Alas, this will not be. But if you can do this tour I suggest you sell that second car and do the tour. It not be. But if you can do this tour I suggest you sell that second car and do the tour. It is a breathtaking experience. In places the mountains rise straight up out of the fjord up is a breathtaking experience. In places the mountains rise straight up out of the fjord up to a height of 1,800 meters, with the snow line at about 1000 meters at the time these to a height of 1,800 meters, with the snow line at about 1000 meters at the time these photos were taken. They simply cannot convey the size of what you are seeing. Some photos were taken. They simply cannot convey the size of what you are seeing. Some of the mountains in the photos are 5,000 feet high!!of the mountains in the photos are 5,000 feet high!!

The photographs with the boat are, of course, Niagara falls, seen from the tower The photographs with the boat are, of course, Niagara falls, seen from the tower overlooking the falls on the Canadian side.overlooking the falls on the Canadian side.

The strange looking statue is a modern art rendition of Henrik Ibsen that stands at the The strange looking statue is a modern art rendition of Henrik Ibsen that stands at the front of the ‘National Opera House’ in Bergen, Norway.front of the ‘National Opera House’ in Bergen, Norway.

The next 4 slides of granite sculptures and bronze sculptures are from a place called The next 4 slides of granite sculptures and bronze sculptures are from a place called Frognerpark in Oslo in Norway. The park contains the life's work of Gustav Vigeland. He Frognerpark in Oslo in Norway. The park contains the life's work of Gustav Vigeland. He took 40 years to create all the sculptures in the park, and there are hundreds of them. took 40 years to create all the sculptures in the park, and there are hundreds of them. It is one of the most amazing man made things you will ever see. His monolith is a It is one of the most amazing man made things you will ever see. His monolith is a single piece of granite, 55 feet high with 121 figures carved into it. How this was done I single piece of granite, 55 feet high with 121 figures carved into it. How this was done I have no idea. The small statue of ‘The Angry Boy’ is one of the most famous works of have no idea. The small statue of ‘The Angry Boy’ is one of the most famous works of any artist in Norway.any artist in Norway.

As noted on the slide…the site of the Boston massacre.As noted on the slide…the site of the Boston massacre. The T-Rex is at a ‘Dinosaur Mini-Golf’ course (if you can believe that) at Niagara Falls. The T-Rex is at a ‘Dinosaur Mini-Golf’ course (if you can believe that) at Niagara Falls.

Having seen ‘Dinosaur Mini-Golf’ I’m prepared to believe a lot of things!!Having seen ‘Dinosaur Mini-Golf’ I’m prepared to believe a lot of things!! The valley is part of the Norway in a Nutshell tour. After leaving the boat you take a The valley is part of the Norway in a Nutshell tour. After leaving the boat you take a

bus out of the fjord and this is the view back down into the fjord. It is a great view!!bus out of the fjord and this is the view back down into the fjord. It is a great view!! Lastly, the ‘compromise’ data warehouse is actually a wooden church bell tower from Lastly, the ‘compromise’ data warehouse is actually a wooden church bell tower from

around the 1700s which is now located at Skansen park in Stockholm Sweden. It was around the 1700s which is now located at Skansen park in Stockholm Sweden. It was actually high tech in it’s time, but suffers in comparison with the Canadian National actually high tech in it’s time, but suffers in comparison with the Canadian National Tower!!Tower!!