IT and data warehousing groups are asked to do a lot more, and on the other hand, their investments are not only scrutinized, but also drastically reduced. To address the dilemma of doing more with less, a new trend has emerged around data and application consolidation. Data mart consolidation can be defined as the process of consolidating separate analytical databases and integrating not only the data they contain, but also the applications. This definition of data mart consolidation introduces the notion of a new architecture for data and applications, and eliminates the assimilation of this initiative to a simple exercise of server consolidation. Too often, data mart consolidation initiatives are pitched as a simple and shortsighted exercise of database combination. Even if server consolidation may be poised to deliver short-term cost relief, experience demonstrates that it cannot be an end in itself.

Learn more about the root causes for data mart proliferation, the substantial cost structure data marts create, a methodology for developing a data mart consolidation plan, and the potential cost savings and revenue enhancement opportunities resulting from consolidating disparate data marts onto a single, enterprise-wide and integrated data warehouse.