A
Access The process of accessing the data warehouse database objects containing data using tools that perform analysis, standard queries, provide statistical information, and mine data. See OLAP, Data Mining, Data Access.
Additive Measurements in a fact table that can be added across all the dimensions. See Dimension.
Ad-hoc One time only, casual, non-planned access to the database. See Access, Data access.
Aggregated data Pre-calculated and prestored summary data that is held in tables in the data warehouse. Aggregated data provides direct access to calculated data that improves query performance. Functions used to calculate aggregated data include SUM, MAX, MIN, COUNT, and AVG. See Summary Tables.
Aggregated facts See Aggregated facts, Summary Tables.
Application Program Interface A set of calling conventions that allow application programs to access computing services. APIs present application developers with a published interface to computing services that can be used with other facilities to provide a single- system image across a heterogeneous network of processors.
Atomic data The data at its lowest level of detail that provides the base data for all data transformations.
Atomic value A data value that cannot be further decomposed.
Attribute Any detail that serves to qualify, identify, classify, quantify, or express the state of an entity.

B
BAP See Business Alliance Program.
Backup and recovery strategy A storage and recovery strategy that protects against business information loss resulting from hardware, software, or network faults.
Batch A computer environment that processes an action or user request without user interaction. Some batch programs work in background, allowing simultaneous user access.
Bitmap index A specialized form of index indicating the existence or non-existence of a record by a series of ones and zeros. Prevalent with the Oracle7 and Oracle8 database servers.
Bitmapped interface See graphical user interface.
Business An enterprise, commercial entity, or firm in either the private or public sector, concerned with providing products or services to satisfy customer requirements.
Business Area The set of business processes within the scope of a data warehouse project.
Business Alliance Program An Oracle initiative that invites vendors to offer products and services that are complementary to those offered by Oracle.
Business Metadata The information provided to users that allows them to understand and access warehouse data. It focuses on what data is in the warehouse, how it was transformed, the source, and the timeliness of the data. See User Metadata.
Business Rule A rule under which an organization operates. Business rules are applied to data using constraints.

C
C A 3rd generation programming language.
C++ A 3rd generation programming language.
Cache A temporary storage area in computer memory.
Cardinality The number of rows in a table. See Table, Column, and Row.
CASE See Computer Aided Systems Engineering.
Checkpoint A database server event, which at a point in time writes all modified database, buffers in the system global area to the data files. The process controlling this action is called the Database Writer (DBWR).
Cleaning See Cleansing.
Cleansing The process of transforming the operational and external source data into a defined, and standardized format using packaged software applications or programs, prior to moving that data into the warehouse. Also referred to as data cleaning, data cleansing, or scrubbing. See Source data.
Client-server A technical architecture that links many personal computers or workstations (clients) to one or more large processors (CPUs or servers). The architecture enables the separation of local client processing from the server that manages the databases, access, and data integrity. The architecture allows for optimal performance at both the client and the server sides.
Cluster A means of sorting and storing related data from different tables in the database, on cluster keys. Advantageous in an environment where related data in commonly queried together.
COBOL A 3rd generation programming language.
Column A means of implementing an item of data within a table. See Table, Row, Attribute.
Composite key A key in a database table that is made up of a number of (column or field) values.
Compound Key See Composite Key.
Computer Aided Systems Engineering The combination of graphical, dictionary, generator, project management, and other software tools to assist computer development staff engineer and maintain high-quality systems.
Concatenated key See Composite key.
Concatenated Index An index that is created on a composite key. See Composite key.
Constellation Model A constellation model, is a warehouse model that comprises a collection of star models. See Star model, Snowflake model.
Constraint 1.The part of the WHERE clause in an SQL SELECT statement that identifies the column or field value that qualifies the query. 2. Any external, management, or other factor that restricts a business or a systems development in terms of resources, availability, dependencies, timescales or some other factor. See Business Rule.
CORBA Common Object Request Broker Architecture
Corporate data model A model of the business needs and data requirements for an online transaction processing system.
Cost based optimizer A statistical mechanism that analyzes where and how to retrieve data from the Oracle7 and Oracle8 servers to ensure fast access to data.
Cube A commonly used name for a dimensional database where values can be analyzed across a minimum of three dimensions.

D
DASD See Direct access storage device.
Data Access See Access.
Data aggregation The process of redefining data into a summarization based on some rules or criteria. See Aggregated data, Aggregated facts, Summary tables.
Data acquisition The process of extracting, transforming, and transporting data from the source systems and external data sources to the data warehouse database objects. The term is synonymous with ETT, and is widely used within Data Warehouse Method. See ETT.
Data extract A subset of data extracted from one environment and transported to another environment. See Extract processing.
Data Definition Language SQL statements that create, modify, and remove database objects such as tables, indexes, and users. Common DDL statements are CREATE, ALTER, and DROP. See DDL.
Data Integrity A general business term that refers to the completeness and quality of data. Also referes to the quality of data residing in the database objects. Constraints on the database tables enforce integrity rules.
Data Manipulation Language SQL statements that query and amend the database data. Common DML statements are SELECTING, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE. See DML.
Data mart A data warehouse data class organized for a business functional area or department. The database contains data summarized at multiple levels of granularity and maybe designed using relational or multidimensional database structures.
Data migration tools Unspecified tools that allow data to be moved from the various sources into the data warehouse.
Data mining A technique that discovers previously unknown patterns and relationships in data. Data mining queries may take a long time to execute.
Data warehouse An enterprise-structured repository of subject-oriented, time variant, integrated, historical data used for information retrieval. The very large data warehouse database stores atomic and summary level data. The data warehouse provides the source data for data marts within the enterprise.
Data Warehouse Method (DWM) A structured method for full life-cycle custom development data warehouse projects. It is based on the Custom Development Method. See Custom Development Method.
Database A collection of data, usually in the form of tables or files, under the control of a database management system. See Database management system, DBMS.
Database administrator A person or people within the information technology (or information systems) organization who is responsible for administering, monitoring and maintaining the database.
Database management system The component of a database that controls all user and system activities related to the core functions of the database, such as security checking, tablespace allocation, space management.
Data model A representation of the specific information requirements of a business area. See Entity relationship diagram.
Data source See Source.
DBA See Database administrator
DBMS See Database management system, Relational database management system.
DDL See Data Definition Language.
Decision support The act of using data and tools within an organization to support managerial decisions. Usually decision support involves the analysis of many units of data in a heuristic fashion. As a rule, decision support processing does not involve updating data. See Heuristic.
Decision support system (DSS) An application used to provide summary or consolidated data to users for analysis, planning, and performing what-if analysis using specialized tools that are usually driven by a GUI interface. See Graphical User Interface.
Delta A file created by an application that contains only changes made to the application.
Denormalization A database design function that restructures a database by introducing derived data, replicated data, and repeating data. The technique is often employed to enhance performance within decision support and data warehouse environments. See Data Warehouse, Decision Support Systems.
Denormalized data The data within a denormalized database model. See Denormalization.
Dependent data mart A data mart that is sourced directly from an existing data warehouse. See Data Mart, Independent Data Mart.
Derived column A value derived by some algorithm from the values of other columns. See Derived data.
Derived data Data that only exists as a subset of other data. Also called Derived attribute.
Designer/2000 The Oracle computer aided systems engineering (CASE) tool.
Detail data See Fact data.
Developer/2000 The Oracle application building tool for query, reporting, database manipulation, and graphical display of database values.
Dimension A construct within a multidimensional structure which represents a side of a multidimensional cube. Each dimension represents a different category that the business chooses to measure by, such as Customer, Region, Product, and Time.
Dimension data The data by which the user queries the business measurables. Contained in dimension tables. See Fact Data, Fact Tables, Dimension Table, Dimension Model.
Dimension table A table in a star model that is joined to the fact table by a key value.
Dimensional model A model that supports a top-down design methodology. For each business process, it determines relevant facts and dimensions.
Direct access storage device (DASD) A data storage unit where data can be accessed directly without having to progress through a serial file such as magnetic tape.
Dirty data Data that is in an unfit state to be loaded into the data warehouse. It must be transformed first. See Transformation, Cleaning.
Discoverer The Oracle end user analysis, query, and reporting tool that is particularly good for use in the data-warehousing environment.
Discrete Usually used with reference to dimension attributes. Data, usually text that takes on a fixed set of values that rarely change.
DML See Data Manipulation Language.
Drill-across A technique that queries data from two or more fact tables in a single report.
Drill-down An analytical technique that queries data from a summary row and navigates through a hierarchy of data to reach the detail level rows.
Drill-up An analytical technique that navigates from detail to header rows of data. Use to view summarized (or aggregated data).
DWM See Data Warehouse Method.

E
End User Layer (EUL) The user interface and layout of multidimensional structures designed for the data access tools. This includes customization of the tools for end users.
Enterprise A group of departments, divisions, groups, or companies, which make up an entire business. See Business.
Enterprise Manager An Oracle product that gives a GUI front end to systems and databases for enterprise wide systems management.
Enterprise model A neutral model of the business.
Entity relationship diagram (ERD) A diagram that pictorially represents entities, the relationships between then and the attributes used to describe them.
Entity relationship model (ERM) A type of data model. Part of the business model that consists of many entity relationship diagrams. See Entity relationship diagram.
ETL (Extract Transform Load) - a term used to describe the process of extracing data, transforming it into desirable formats, and loading it into a target repository.
ETT An acronym that stands for Extraction, Transformation, and Transportation. It refers to the methods involved in cleaning operational data and moving it from source systems into the warehouse.
Express The generic name of a suite of Oracle products that enable users to analyze multidimensional data and perform complex analysis for decision support.
External data Data originating from a non-operational source, or outside the central processing complex, such as magazines, newspapers, and financial companies.
Extract processing The process of selecting data from one environment and transporting it to another environment for use by individual users or departments.
Extraction The process of selecting and pulling data from the operational and external data sources, in order to prepare it for the warehouse. Also called Data Extraction.
Extraction, transformation, and transportation See ETT.

F
Fact data The measurements, within the core of the data warehouse, on which all OLAP queries depend. See online analytical processing, Fact table.
Fact table The core (central) table in a star or snowflake model, characterized by a composite key. Values in the composite key join to keys in the dimension tables. See Composite key, Dimension table, Detail data.
Feedback Response to requests, including corrections, additions, and approval elicited from users, sponsors, and any others with an interest in the data warehouse.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) A method for transferring files from one location to another.
Foreign key A key data value (which may comprise one or more columns) in a relational database table that joins to a primary key on another table. See Primary key.
Forms See Oracle Forms.
FTP See File Transfer Protocol.

G
Gap analysis The process of determining and evaluating the variance between two items’ properties being compared.
Gateway A technology that enables interserver communication using various communication protocols.
Generalized key A dimension table primary key that is created by modifying an existing key. Generalized keys are also used with slowly changing dimensions and summary data.
Gigabyte One million bytes.
Grain The level of detail of the data stored in the database or data warehouse or moved into the data warehouse from source systems.
Granularity See Grain.
Graphical user interface (GUI) A user interface that is driven by point-and-click operations using a mouse rather than a keyboard. Also known as a bitmapped interface.

H
Heuristic The process of learning by discovery.
Hierarchical database An older style of database where records are strictly related and access is strictly defined.
Householding In the financial services sector, assigning a customer account or individual person, to a collection of accounts, individuals, or location for marketing purposes.
Hypercube A multidimensional model supporting more than three dimensions. You can visualize this model by considering a number of three-dimensional cubes that are related to each other.
HyperText Markup Language The language used to create HTML pages for the Web using a word processor or text editor.
HyperText Transfer Protocol The first component, the protocol, of a URL address used widely in the Internet and intranet environment. HTTP defines how to interpret information. Other common protocols you may come across include FTP, news, and gopher. See Uniform Resource Locator.

I
Implementation The installation of an increment of the data warehouse solution (hardware, software, documentation, training) that is complete, installed, tested, proved, operational and ready to use.
Independent Data Mart A data mart that is sourced directly from operational systems. See Data Mart, Dependent Data Mart.
Index An area of the database storage dedicated to holding key data values to allow direct access to a database row.
Information requirement The detail and summary data and access functionality required to satisfy the users’ decision support and analysis functions for decision making and planning.
Increment The defined scope of the portion of the data warehouse selected for implementation. Each increment satisfies elements of the total data warehouse solution.
Incremental Development A technique for producing all or part of a production system based on an outline definition. The technique involves iterations of a cycle of build, refine, and review so that the correct solution emerges.
Initial load The first population (insert) of the production data warehouse database with data from source systems. This load often contains large amounts of historical data. See Load, Refresh cycle.
Integrate To take data from a variety of different sources, in different formats, and merge it into a single format.
Integrity rules The laws that govern the operations allowed on the data and structures of a database.
Internal data Data that resides within an organization’s central processing complex.
Iterative development The application of a cyclic, evolutionary approach to system development.

K
Knowledge worker A person whose job relies on information as a primary resource.

L
Legacy system An existing operational system , which is used for entering data about the company’s operations.
Level fields These fields are often held in dimension tables and relate to summary data stored in the central fact table. Not a common approach to storing summary data.
Load The process of moving extracted, transformed into the data warehouse. See Initial load, Refresh cycle.
Load window The time taken to load data from multiple source systems into the data warehouse. Can also be used to mean the time available for the data load.
Logical model The phase of database design that is concerned with identifying the relationships among the tables.

M
Mapping The process of matching data from source systems to the structures in the data warehouse.
Mapping tools Tools used to perform mapping.
Massively Parallel Processor (MPP) A shared nothing architecture that takes a number of nodes and enables them to communicate rapidly.
Master Data Management (MDM) Concepts on and toolset for finding, categorize, maintain, publish master data, i.e. data of global importance for an enterprise.
Metadata Data that contains information about the data and structures in the data warehouse. Metadata is both for business users and technical users. See Business Metadata and User Metadata.
Metalayer An architectural component of the warehouse that resides between the warehouse data and the user, and contains metadata. See Metadata.
Middleware A layer that provides an easy to use, intuitive presentation of the underlying data or data structures.
MOLAP See multidimensional online analytical processing.
Multidimensional analysis See Online analytical processing.
Multidimensional database A database management system where data can be viewed and manipulated in multiple dimensions. It provides a structure that supports specialized query techniques such as drill-down, consolidation, slicing and dicing. See Cube.
Multidimensional online analytical processing Data is stored and presented to the user over three or more dimensions.

N
Non-additive A fact that cannot be logically added between records. May be numeric and must be combined in a computation with other facts before being added across records.
Non-uniform memory access A method of accessing shared memory on systems which have memory loosely coupled. Oracle Parallel server can work with this access method.
Normalization A technique that eliminates data redundancy. See Normalized data. Normalized data Data that has been separated into groups linked by defining normal relationships, where all redundancy in the data, and repeating groups of data are removed. The usual normalization level is called third normal form represented as 3NF. See Normalization.
NULL The state of a data item that indicates no value.
NUMA See Non-uniform memory access.

O
ODS See Operational data store.
OLAP See Online analytical processing.
OLAP Server A multidimensional database that provides a data structure that enables flexible access to data, and explores the relationship between summary and detail data.
OLTP See Online transaction processing system, Operational System.
Online analytical processing A loosely defined set of principles that provide a dimensional framework for decision support. Online analytical processing allows for analysis of data to reveal business trends and statistics that are not immediately visible in operational data. Also known as multidimensional analysis.
Online transaction processing system The process whereby day to day transactional data is held in a repository that contains the operational data for the business.
Operational data Data that is maintained and used for the day-to-day processing and functional requirements of the business.
Operational data store A repository of current and integrated operational data used for analysis. It is often structured and supplied with data in the same way as the data warehouse, but may act simply as a staging area for data to be moved into the warehouse.
Operational system A system that supports day-to-day transactional information that supports the clients business. See Online transaction processing system.
Oracle Expert An expert systems advisor that generates performance-tuning recommendations based upon a global system view. Suggestions regarding space allocation, schema design, and indexing strategies help DBAs tune VLDB environments.
Oracle Forms A Developer/2000 tool for creating, maintaining, and running full-screen, interactive applications called forms. The forms enable users to see and change data in an Oracle database. They can be used in block mode, character-mode or bit mapped environments.
Oracle Method The methodology employed by Oracle for corporate system implementation. Incorporates the Data Warehouse Method and project management software.
Oracle Parallel Server See Parallel processor, Oracle Server.
Oracle Reports The powerful, flexible Developer/2000 report-writing tool. Reports may be integrated with Oracle Forms or run stand-alone.
Oracle Server The Oracle relational database management system (RDBMS). Components of the Oracle Server include the kernel and various utilities for use by database administrators and users. See Relational database management system, Server.
Oracle Trace is a performance data management tool that collects, manages, and displays performance data from throughout the enterprise, including resource use (CPU, I/O, page faults) by user or component.

P
Parallel Processor The Oracle Server component that splits a single database action into many processes. See Parallel Query Option.
Parallel Query Option The Oracle Server option that splits a single database query request into a series of parallel query operations. See Parallel Processor.
Partitioned data Data that is physically divided across many hard disks. Data may be partitioned horizontally or vertically. The technique improves application performance and security. Also called Data partitioning.
Partitioning Splitting data across different units. Partitioning may be achieved at the system or application level.
Pilot An initial project that serves as a model or template for future projects.
Pivoting A query technique that enables the arrangement of rows and columns to be changed in a report.
PL/SQL See Procedural SQL.
Primary key A single or multiple column value that uniquely identifies a single row in a relational database table.
Procedural gateway Middleware that enables data on a non-Oracle database to be viewed from Oracle applications. See Middleware, Transparent Gateway.
Procedural SQL An extension to Oracle SQL. It enables SQL to be embedded within 3rd generation programming constructs such as GOTO and LOOP statements for finer programming control.
Process 1. A key element of Oracle Method. A cohesive set or thread of related tasks that meets a specific project objective. A process results in one or more key deliverables. 2. A sequential execution of functions triggered by one or more events. See Oracle Method, Data Warehouse Method (DWM).
Proof-of-concept An approach that contains a well defined set of objectives and is scoped to demonstrate the immediate business benefit of an increment of the data warehouse. See Increment.

Q
Query Manager Middleware that presents the user querying data with an easy to use and clear picture of the underlying business data.

R
RDBMS See Relational database management system, Oracle Server.
Reach-through Is used by online analytical processing tools to access directly data on a relational database server. The tool presents the data in a multidimensional manner. Reference data Data held in reference tables. See Reference Tables.
Reference tables Hold textural data that contain expanded descriptions of data resident in dimension tables.
Referential integrity A condition that guarantees that the values in one column also exist in another column. This guarantee is enforced through the use of integrity constraints.
Refresh The process of updating the data warehouse database objects with new data. The refresh process occurs on a predefined and scheduled basis after initial load. See Initial load, Refresh cycle.
Refresh cycle The frequency by which data in the data warehouse database objects is updated with new data. The cycle is determined by user business requirements. Regular process of updating the data warehouse with further fact (detail) data and creating appropriate summary tables and data indexes.
Relational database management system (RDBMS) Software that creates and maintains the database system, as well as the data stored in the database (in Oracle terms, Version 6 and earlier). See Server.
Relational online analytical processing An implementation that presents the user with a multidimensional view of data that originates from a relational database structure.
Replication Is a method whereby copies of databases are maintained at multiple sites in a distributed system, to improve availability and response times. Replication is frequently employed as part of a backup and recovery strategy.
Reports See Oracle Reports.
ROLAP See relational online analytical processing.
Row A series of attributes that identify the characteristics, to be stored on the database, of a significant object, such as a person. Also referred to as tuple. See Table.

S
Schema A logical representation or model of a database structure.
Scrubbing See Cleansing.
Semi-additive A numeric fact that can be added along some dimensions in a fact table but not others.
Server Software that handles the functions required for concurrent, shared access to a database. The server receives and processes SQL and PL/SQL statements originating from client applications. The computer that runs the Server must be optimized for its duties. The Oracle Server was previously called the Relational Database Management System. See Relational Database Management System.
Slice and dice A mechanism whereby a query can analyze information along any dimension of the multidimensional model equally.
Slowly changing dimensions The tendency of dimension records, particularly Product and Customer dimensions, to change gradually or occasionally over time.
Snapshots A copy (or dump) of the data in a database at any given point in time.
Snowflake model A normalized version of the star model, employed in Data Warehouse implementations. See Star model, Constellation model.
Source data The data that is used as the basis of warehouse data, maybe from a database, flat files, or magazine articles. Also called Data Source.
SQL*Loader An Oracle tool that enables streams of data to be loaded into files or a database.
SQL (Structured Query Language) The internationally accepted standard language for relational systems. See Data Manipulation Language, Data Definition Language.
SQL statement A complete command or statement written in the SQL language.
Staging area A file, operational data store, or series of relational database server tables that contains the data to be moved to the warehouse.
Star query Optimization technique that enables the dimensions and fact tables in the star model to be accessed efficiently, and data returned to the user efficiently. It ensures that the dimension data is visited first, and the fact data last and only once.
Star model A database organization in which a fact table with a composite key is joined to a number of single-level dimension tables. The model is used in Data Warehouse implementations. See Constellation model, Snowflake model.
Subject area A vertical portion of the business, such as Sales and Marketing that is developed as an iteration of the enterprise wide data warehouse.
Summary data Data that is aggregated and stored in a summary fact table and made available to the user for direct and easy access.
Summary table A data structure in the warehouse that contains summarized (or aggregated) facts. See Summary data.
Symmetric Multiprocessor (SMP) A shared everything hardware and software architecture, where memory and disk controllers are accessible to all CPU’s. See CPU.
System Global Area (SGA) A large area of memory allocated to a database instance for caching. See Cache.

T
Table A relational database structure, that comprises vertical columns (attributes) and horizontal rows (tuples) of data. See Primary key, row, and column.
Terabyte One trillion bytes.
Time stamp A date and time value written to a record when it is created or changed in the database.
Transformation The process of redefining data based on predefined rules, using specific formulae and techniques. Also called Data Transformation. See ETT.
Transparent Gateway Middleware that enables viewing of data resident in a non-Oracle database from Oracle applications. See Middleware, Procedural Gateway.
Transportation The movement of data to the warehouse server. Also called Data Transportation. See ETT.

U
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) Text used to identify and address an item in a computer network.
Usage curve A line chart showing the amount of CPU used at any time during normal system activity. User A person at any level of the organization who needs to access the data in the data warehouse for information in order to perform a business function.
User Metadata The information provided to users that allows them to understand and access warehouse data. It focuses on what data is in the warehouse, how it was transformed, the source, and the timeliness of the data. See Business Metadata and Transformation.

V
Very large database (VLDB) A very large database is measured in gigabytes and Terabytes.
Very large memory (VLM) Computers with 64 bit memory structures.
VLDB See Very large database.
VLM See Very large memory.

W
Warehouse manager The mechanism that maintains the data in the warehouse database.
Warehouse Technology Initiative (WTI) An Oracle program that invites other vendors to offer products and services that are complementary to those offered by Oracle, particularly in the area of products and services related to Data Warehousing. ..........................................................................................................................................................