Information Systems Program
Module 3
Data Warehouse Design Practices
and Methodologies
Lesson 2: Table Design Patterns
Lesson Objectives
Explain schema patterns
Explain patterns for historical integrity
Reflect on the importance of historical integrity
Information Systems Program
Star Schema Example
Store
Item StoreId
ItemId StoreManager
ItemName StoreStreet
ItemUnitPrice StoreCity
ItemBrand StoreSales StoreState
ItemCategory StoreZip
StoreNation
ItemSales DivId
Sales DivName
SalesNo
DivManager
SalesUnits
SalesDollar
Customer SalesCost
TimeDim
CustId TimeNo
CustName TimeSales TimeDay
CustPhone TimeMonth
CustStreet CustSales TimeQuarter
CustCity TimeYear
CustState TimeDayOfWeek
CustZip TimeFiscalYear
CustNation
3
Information Systems Program
Constellation Schema Example
Supplier
SuppId Inventory
SuppName InvNo
SuppCity SuppInv InvQOH StoreInv
SuppState InvCost
SuppZip InvReturns
SuppNation
ItemInv
Store
Item StoreId
ItemId StoreManager
ItemName StoreStreet
ItemUnitPrice StoreCity
ItemBrand StoreSales StoreState TimeInv
ItemCategory StoreZip
StoreNation
ItemSales DivId
Sales DivName
SalesNo
DivManager
SalesUnits
SalesDollar
Customer SalesCost
TimeDim
CustId TimeNo
CustName TimeSales TimeDay
CustPhone TimeMonth
CustStreet CustSales TimeQuarter
CustCity TimeYear
CustState TimeDayOfWeek
CustZip TimeFiscalYear
CustNation
4
Information Systems Program
Snowflake Schema Example
Item
ItemId Store
ItemName StoreId
ItemUnitPrice Division
StoreManager
ItemBrand DivId
StoreStreet
ItemCategory
StoreSales DivStore DivName
StoreCity
DivManager
StoreState
ItemSales Sales StoreZip
SalesNo StoreNation
SalesUnits
SalesDollar
Customer SalesCost
TimeSales TimeDim
CustId TimeNo
CustName TimeDay
CustPhone TimeMonth
CustStreet CustSales TimeQuarter
CustCity TimeYear
CustState TimeDayOfWeek
CustZip TimeFiscalYear
CustNation
Information Systems Program
Time Representation for Fact Tables
Alternatives
Timestamp
Time dimension table for organization specific calendar
features
Variations
Time of day columns
Accumulating fact table for representation of multiple
events
Information Systems Program
Historical Integrity for Dimensions
Primarily an issue for dimension changes
Fact rows no longer historically accurate after a
dimension update
Determine importance of history preservation for
dimension columns
Some inaccuracy tolerated with summary query
results
Information Systems Program
Historical Integrity Examples
Type II Representation Type III Representation
Type I Representation Customer
Customer CustId
Customer CustId CustName
CustId VersionNo CustPhone
CustName CustStreet
CustName CustCityCurr
CustPhone
CustPhone CustStreet CustCityCurrBegEffDate
CustStreet CustCityCurrEndEffDate
CustCity
CustCityPrev
CustCity CustCityBegEffDate CustCityPrevBegEffDate
CustState CustCityEndEffDate CustCityPrevEndEffDate
CustZip CustState CustCityPast
CustNation CustZip CustCityPastBegEffDate
CustNation CustCityPastEndEffDate
CustState
CustZip
CustNation
Information Systems Program
Summary
Schema patterns especially the constellation
schema for shared fact tables
Time representation for fact tables
Historical integrity for dimensions
Information Systems Program
