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Summary: TeraData just not suited for Business Intelligence.
Review: After reading this book and other Teradata manuals it seems very obvious to me that Teradata is just not suited for using BI Tools such as Business Objects , Cognos etc.Some of the observations are 1> Strong language and baseless disparaging remarks in Teradata books calling Datamarts as data junkyards , data basements giving examples that can be described as overly idiotic. 2> Strong support of views and not acknowledging that FACT that
less tables in a query means faster response. They actually propose a 5 table join over a 2 table join. 3> Lack of understanding of BI Tools and how they operate . 4> Teradata has painted themselves in 'Normalized' corner so much that it is too late for them to get anywhere, because they predate recent BI surge when normalized database design was the only known way. 5> It would be interesting to know what BI tools most of these 'Teradata Experts' use with a highly normalized designs that are proposed, as hand coded SQL seems the best thing for Teradata 6> Teradata is finally catching up with rest of the DB world with Join Indexes ( their version of materialized views) but it might be too little too late......
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Summary: Who Really Needs This Book!
Review: An outstanding contribution to the Data Warehousing world. Who should read this book? Top executives ,directors and those who want a data warehouse constructed. Secrets of the Best Data Warehouses in the World focuses on good common sense and a logical approach to building a successful warehouse. To develop a successful data warehouse begins with the education of those funding and sponsoring it, and this book provides that education. As a warehousing professional and project manager, I have seen all too often the unsuccessful implementation of a data warehouse due to lack of commitment and a misunderstanding as to the rewards that can be reaped. Note to those who are engaging in a data warehouse project...buy this book!
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Summary: Great Book for Technical & Business Users
Review: At Harrah's we have a very successful data warehouse implementation called Marketing Workbench. During 2000 we began a large initiative to expand our data warehouse to other business areas. As we begin to work with a new area, we distribute this book to both the business users as well as new IT team members. The book is easy to read and provides a common understanding of key (& Successful) data warehousing principles.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book for Technical & Business Users
Review: At Harrah's we have a very successful data warehouse implementation called Marketing Workbench. During 2000 we began a large initiative to expand our data warehouse to other business areas. As we begin to work with a new area, we distribute this book to both the business users as well as new IT team members. The book is easy to read and provides a common understanding of key (& Successful) data warehousing principles.
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Summary: Believe It!
Review: Coffing, et al have written the definitive book on Data Warehousing approaches. It is true that the book appears slanted toward NCR's Teradata. However, the approaches and insights offered in the book apply across all platforms and vendors until you grow an extremely large data warehouse. Still think it's slanted? Read reports from Gartner, Mehta, and the other big consultants that cover general data warehouse approaches, and you'll see that Coffing, et al have the right approach. Once you do that, THEN you can go look for the right vendor. A Must Read for anyone interested in a non-technical view of data warehousing.
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Summary: Narrow approach and vendor specific
Review: I believe this book will only be useful to companies using NCR Teradata systems. The approach is very vendor-specific and uses methods that are most practical with NCR. If you want to learn about good data warehouses and such, you'd be better off looking at "Best Practices" presentations and papers at the Data Warehouse Institute.
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Summary: Reviewer Julia Kimball related The Ralph Kimball ?
Review: I have not read the book, but looking over the people who have reviewed it, could not help noticing the name Julia Kimball who has given only 1 star. Just wondered if any relation to the famous Ralph Kimball who is the data warehousing guru, also from Boulder CA. ?
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Summary: Believe It!
Review: This book is more closely related to the NCR/Teradata approach to data warehousing than is divulged in the book and the authors' bios. It's a vendor specific sales tool masquerading as a book. This kind of "book" is what consultants might like to hand over with a sales proposal tucked inside to add legitimacy. I would suggest that any reader of this book read it critically in light of the NCR/Teradata connection given that the "secrets" are consistent with the NCR/Teradata approach to data warehousing, but not the wider world of data warehousing.
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Summary: This book is misleading
Review: This book is more closely related to the NCR/Teradata approach to data warehousing than is divulged in the book and the authors' bios. It's a vendor specific sales tool masquerading as a book. This kind of "book" is what consultants might like to hand over with a sales proposal tucked inside to add legitimacy. I would suggest that any reader of this book read it critically in light of the NCR/Teradata connection given that the "secrets" are consistent with the NCR/Teradata approach to data warehousing, but not the wider world of data warehousing.
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Summary: 'Best Data Warehouses' gives best advice
Review: This is the first book on the subject that focuses on practical management advice as well as technical issues. It is also a quick and easy read. Knowing that the authors included the technical architect for the largest data warehouse in the world (at SBC), I found that the experiences and advice carried much more credibility and applicability. My company and I are very interested in data warehouse development and will work to avoid the pitfalls laid out in this roadmap.
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