Data Warehouse Structure

  • Article

The Data Warehouse has two main parts:

  • Physical store. A Microsoft SQL Server database that you can query by using SQL queries, and an OLAP database that you can use to run reports.
  • Logical schema. A conceptual model that maps to the data in the physical store.

The following figure shows the relationship between the physical store and the logical schema.

A figure showing the relationship between the physical store and the logical schema.

Physical Store

The physical store for the Data Warehouse includes one database that you can query by using SQL queries. The physical store contains all the data that you have imported from different sources.

During the unpacking process, Commerce Server automatically builds the physical store for the Data Warehouse in both the SQL Server database and the OLAP database. The Data Warehouse provides the data necessary for all the Commerce Server reports available in the Analysis modules in Business Desk.

There is no need to directly modify the physical store for the Data Warehouse. If you need to extend the Data Warehouse, for example, to encompass third-party data, a site developer can programmatically add the fields you need through the logical schema.

Logical Schema

The logical schema provides an understandable view of the data in the Data Warehouse, and supports an efficient import process. For example, a site developer uses the logical schema to modify the location of data stored in the underlying physical tables. When a site developer writes code to add, update, or delete data in the Data Warehouse, the developer interacts with the logical schema. When Commerce Server accesses data in the Data Warehouse, it accesses the data through the logical schema. Only the site developer needs detailed knowledge of the logical schema.

A logical schema includes the following:

  • Class. A logical collection of data members. For example, the RegisteredUser class contains data members describing a registered user.
  • Data member. A structure that stores a piece of data. For example, the E-mail data member of the RegisteredUser class stores the e-mail address for a registered user.
  • Relation. A connection between two classes in a parent-child relationship. The parent-child relationship defines the number of instances (1 or many) a child can have with a corresponding instance in the parent. For example, RegisteredUser is a parent to the child class Request. There can be many requests for one registered user.

The logical schema uses classes, data members, relations, and other data structures to map data in the physical store.

See Also

Using the Data Warehouse in Web Site Management

Data Warehouse Structure

Overview of Importing Data to the Data Warehouse

Preparing Data for Analysis with OLAP

Reports and Segment Models

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