The perspective that systems should be constructed from objects, which themselves may be aggregations of smaller objects.

Open Database Connectivity. A standard for database access co-opted by Microsoft from the SQL Access Group consortium.

On-Line Analytical Processing. OLAP should be designed to provide end users a quick way of slicing and dicing the data.

On-line retrieval and analysis of data to reveal business trends and statistics not directly visible in the data directly retrieved from a data warehouse. Also known as multidimensional analysis.

Processing that supports the daily business operations. Also know as operational processing and OLTP.

Data used in the operational processing of business transactions that support day-today business operations. They are detailed, largely primitive data necessary to keep the organization operating.

The current operational system which contains the source data to be extracted, transformed, and transported to the data warehouse database objects.

The database-of-record, consisting of system-specific reference data and event data belonging to a transaction-update system. It may also contain system control data such as indicators, flags, and counters. The operational database is the source of data for the data warehouse. It contains detailed data used to run the day-to-day operations of the business. The data continually changes as updates are made, and reflect the current value of the last transaction.

A database structure that is a repository for near real-time operational data rather than long term trend data.

Metadata about operational data.

A system which supports the operations of the client’s business. These systems may be mission critical systems or support systems.

Data that have been through data optimization. The data in the logical schema and conceptual schema.