Synopsis

Since it was first published in 1990, W. H. Inmon's Building the Data Warehouse has become the bible of data warehousing -- the first and best introduction to the subject. A lot has changed in data warehousing technology since the last edition appeared in 1996, and this latest volume is completely revised to reflect exciting new techniques and applications, update existing topics, and examine data marts, operational data stores, and the corporate information factory. In this Third Edition, Inmon explains what a data warehouse is (and isn't), why it's needed, how it works, and how the traditional data warehouse can be integrated with new technologies, including the Web, to provide enhanced customer service and support. He also addresses the trade-offs between normalized data warehouses and dimensional data marts.

Booknews

A guide for database developers, designers, and managers to creating a database tailored for analytic and informational uses, different and separate from a database with the same information to be used in ordinary operations. Deals more with concepts, overall approaches, and issues rather than technical aspects. Among the topics are decision support systems that utilize data warehouses, environment and design, granularity, distributed data, executive information systems, external and unstructured data, and migration to the environment. No mention is made of the first edition or why a second was issued. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Biography

Bill Inmon, the father of the data warehouse concept, has written 40 books on data management, data warehouse, design review, and management of data processing. Bill has had his books translated into Russian, German, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Dutch. Bill has published more than 250 articles in many trade journals. Bill founded and took public Prism Solutions. His latest company — Pine Cone Systems — builds software for the management of the data warehouse/data mart environment. Bill holds two software patents. Articles, white papers, presentations, and much more material can be found on his Web site, www.billinmon.com.