glossary - bi & dw jargons
Data warehousing & Business intelligence terms glossary
All
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Access Path |
The path chosen by a database management system to retrieve the requested data. |
| Ad-Hoc Query |
Any query that cannot be determined prior to the moment the query is issued. A query that consists of dynamically constructed SQL, which is usually constructed by desktop-resident query tools. |
| Ad-Hoc Query Tool |
An end-user tool that accepts an English-like or point-and-click request for data and constructs an ad-hoc query to retrieve the desired result. |
| Administrative Data |
In a data warehouse, the data that helps a warehouse administrator manage the warehouse. Examples of administrative data are user profiles and order history data. |
| Aggregate Data |
Data that is the result of applying a process to combine data elements. Data that is taken collectively or in summary form. |
| Alerts |
A notification from an event that has exceeded a pre-defined threshold. |
| Atomic Data |
Data elements that represent the lowest level of detail. For example, in a daily sales report, the individual items sold would be atomic data, while rollups such as invoice and summary totals from invoices are aggregate data. |
| Authorization Request |
A request initiated by a consumer to access data for which the consumer does not presently have access privileges. |
| Authorization Rules |
Criteria used to determine whether or not an individual, group, or application may access reference data or a process. |
| Base Tables |
The normalized data structures maintained in the target warehousing database. Also known as the detail data. |
| Bi-directional Extracts |
The ability to extract, cleanse, and transfer data in two directions among different types of databases, including hierarchical, networked, and relational databases. |
| Braking Mechanism |
A software mechanism that prevents users from querying the operational database once transaction loads reach a certain level. |
| Bulk Data Transfer |
A software-based mechanism designed to move large data files. It supports compression, blocking and buffering to optimize transfer times. |
| Business Architecture |
One of the four layers of an information systems architecture. A business architecture describes the functions a business performs and the information it uses. |
| Business Data |
Information about people, places, things, business rules, and events, which is used to operate the business. It is not metadata. (Metadata defines and describes business data.) |