Data Warehousing in Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Summary

Data warehousing has become a key component of any enterprise-wide data architecture and is no longer only practical for the largest enterprises. Data warehousing developed as a response to the many impediments to creating actionable information from the data collected by operational applications, impediments that only gradually became recognized as significantly undermining the potential of computers to help turn data into information. The issues existed not only because of historical technical limitations but also because of fundamental differences in optimum design between operational and informational applications.

A data warehouse provides the foundation for many data-driven applications. SQL Server 2008 provides a full-featured, powerful, and cost-effective platform on which to build a data warehouse. You’ve seen how SQL Server 2008 is particularly targeted to data warehousing issues and provides a number of long-awaited features in that sphere. In addition, Microsoft also offers a wide range of integrated and complementary technology, including Microsoft Office SharePoint, Microsoft Performance Point, and the 2007 Microsoft Office system, which enable you to build informational applications on top of your SQL Server data warehouse foundation.