Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Data Access
Access to data falls into two major categories:
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)
: Decision support software allows
the user to quickly analyze information that has been summarized
into multidimensional views. Traditional OLAP products, also
known as multidimensional OLAP, or MOLAP, summarize transac-
tions into multidimensional views ahead of time. User queries on
these types of databases are extremely fast because the consolidation
has already been done. OLAP places the data into a cube structure
that can be rotated by the user, which is particularly suited for finan-
cial summaries, as shown in Figure 6.3.
Online Transaction Processing (OLTP)
: Online transaction process-
ing means that master files are updated as soon as transactions are
entered at terminals or received over communications lines. It also
implies that confirmations are returned to the sender. They are con-
sidered real-time systems.
How many item #123
were sold to Vanco?
Customers
Smiths
Big Store
Vanco
Shirts
Pants
Shorts
How many shirts were
sold in January?
How many items were
sold in total?
FIGURE 6.3
OLAP cube.
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