Data Warehousing for Dummies [Paperback]

Alan R. Simon (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764501704 | ISBN-13: 978-0764501708 | Publication Date: November 1997 | Edition: 1

Now that we're well into the Information Age, it's only natural that data warehousing would be a hot topic. Data Warehousing For Dummies arrives just in time to help you take advantage of one of your organization's most important resources -- information in the form of lists, records, databases, and digital media from external as well as internal sources.

In Data Warehousing For Dummies, data warehousing expert Alan R. Simon takes a practical inventory of state-of-the-art data warehousing. He covers all the essential technologies and strategies, including
* Using relational databases to get at warehoused data
* Going through data warehousing middleware to make access consistent and efficient
* Transforming warehoused data into business intelligence
* Mining data for the nuggets of information that can make a difference in your organization's operations
* Implementing executive information systems
* Putting together a successful team of information systems professionals
* Managing vendors who promise to solve all your data warehousing problems
* Looking ahead to techniques for managing multimedia data
Author Alan R. Simon presents his specialty plainly and practically, so that you and the other Information Systems professionals in your organization can cobble together a sensible strategy for data warehousing.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Free Data Warehousing "Cheat Sheet" Inside!

Make a Smooth Transition from Outdated Systems into Modern Data Warehouses! Data warehousing is a valuable, proven approach to providing business users at all levels of an organization with the information they need to make high-impact decisions — only if the right technologies, architecture, and techniques are used. Data Warehousing For Dummies^® is the down-to-earth, no-hype reference that covers everything you need to know about data warehousing in today's technology — and even tomorrow's. From the different types of tools that exist to the steps you use to develop a data warehouse, this book has it all! Let These Icons Guide You!

• Gives you tricks of the trade to develop a data warehouse successfully
• Helps you avoid traps and hype
• Describes what's coming in the future of data warehousing and how it affects you

Ask for IDG Books' …For Dummies^® Books, the Fun and Easy Way to Find out about Computers. Also look for IDG Books' Year 2000 Solutions For Dummies^®, the fun and easy way to find out how to fix the Year 2000 problem, and Building An Intranet For Dummies^®, the fast and friendly way to build your own intranet.

Inside, find helpful advice on how to:

• Choose the right architecture and approach for your data warehouse
• Select data warehousing technologies and products
• Correctly and efficiently analyze data sources and choose what should be in your data warehouse
• Bring external data into your data warehouse
• Build a winning development team for your data warehousing project
• Look ahead to tomorrow's data warehousing technology and what it means for your project

About the Author

About the Author Alan R. Simon is the director of worldwide data warehousing at Cambridge Technology Partners, a leading international consulting firm. He is the author of 20 books and has been working with data warehousing technology for almost 20 years. Alan also writes a data warehousing column for Database Programming & Design magazine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764501704
• ISBN-13: 978-0764501708
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,072,039 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars OK for total beginners and laypeople, March 28, 2002

By 

Mark Lucas (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Data Warehousing for Dummies (Paperback)

This book is good for the person completely new to data warehousing, as long as they DON'T take it as the complete or last word on the subject. Most of the basic concepts are presented well, but there are various errors in some of the specifics, and there are some theories described that are 'old school' and not necessarily relevant with todays technology (in the last 5 years data warehousing has changed in the capability of tools and in approaches & architecture).

RECOMMENDATIONS: If you are a business person trying to understand what your computer people are talking about re data warehouses, data marts or business intelligence, this is a good starting point.
But, if you are an IT/IS/computer person, skip this book and read Ralph Kimball's "Data Warehouse Toolkit", then graduate to his "Data Warehouse Lifecycle Toolkit" (covers many more aspects), and Bill Inmon's "Corp Information Factory". These 3 books, and a DBMS specific book (e.g. "Oracle 8i Data Warehousing") will be all you need for your first few projects.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great DW book for beginners, October 30, 2000

By 

Michael Bingle (Basking Ridge, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Data Warehousing for Dummies (Paperback)

Look, this look isn't for experienced DW people. However, it wouldn't hurt some of the DW "experts" I know to read it.

The author gived down to earth comments and examples of what the industry entails and what DW is all about. He covers most of the issues and gave me some interesting insight into some areas that I haven't yet delt with.

I've been working in DW for over 5 years. Even so, I think this book is worth reading. I'm gald I did.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A couple nice points but it cutesiness becomes boring, September 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Data Warehousing for Dummies (Paperback)

The writer attempts to write in a cutesy tone - probably in the name of being entertaining - but because he tries too hard the writing just becomes boring.

This book reads like a series of columns about data warehousing. Most of the discussions are okay but somewhat on the superficial side. The author is at his best when he discusses the people side of data warehousing - especially the political issues.

If you do not want to get deeply involved in the technical aspects of the subject, W.H. Inmon and Vidette Poe provide more easily read and more penetrating introductions to data warehousing.