Evolving into Active Data Warehousing

In their efforts to increase corporate revenues and profitability, CEOs are challenged to connect with, engage and satisfy customers. One clear path to better meet and exceed customer expectations is to use the power of active enterprise intelligence to give both strategic and front-line employees access to critical information. (See figure 1 below.)

Built on the concept of "activating" a central data warehouse, active enterprise intelligence extends the reach of data-driven decision making throughout the enterprise to arm users and systems with the right information and analyses. With this advantage, front-line employees can react to events faster and ultimately make smarter decisions that are aligned with corporate goals.

While the value of active enterprise intelligence is clear, the challenges of aligning people, processes, technology and strategy can leave many business and IT executives overwhelmed.

To speed the evolution, Teradata Professional Services developed three service offers. The Active Enterprise Intelligence Workshop, Data Maturity Assessment and Performance Assessment were all designed to help executives evaluate the steps and technologies necessary to move the enterprise data warehouse (EDW) toward active data warehousing and be better positioned for active enterprise intelligence success.

Active Enterprise Intelligence Workshop
Facilitated by a Teradata expert, this one-day interactive workshop is an important first step to examining the business and technical drivers needed to activate the data warehouse. Conducted in two sessions, the workshop gives business and IT users a clear view of the value in providing intelligence to front-line employees.

Session 1 typically focuses on how active enterprise intelligence helps achieve business outcomes. Business and IT executives explore case studies regarding real-world implementations and the associated business improvement opportunities. This meeting of the minds establishes the foundation for the rest of the day.

Session 2 is technical but is not just for IT executives. Business users are encouraged to work closely with enterprise architects and data warehouse administrators to review the current technology infrastructure and examine how the data warehouse is infused into the enterprise. Key "active" concepts reviewed include:

	Data warehouse availability
	Access service rates and service level agreements
	Mixed workload management
	Data loads
	Events
	Integration

In all, the Active Enterprise Intelligence Workshop educates business and IT users on new and advanced methods of competing within their industry using data analysis. By the conclusion of the workshop, stakeholders will have gained an understanding of how better decision making—by all employees—ultimately affects corporate revenues and profitability.

Data Warehouse Maturity Assessment
The implementation of any business strategy involves assessing the readiness of people, processes and technologies. In many organizations, various departments and divisions have unique processes, data silos and different levels of analytical sophistication. Uniting under the banner of active enterprise intelligence means coordinating departmental agendas, consolidating and standardizing data and data management processes, and implementing a proper governance framework to maintain an enterprise-wide business perspective.

The Data Warehouse Maturity Assessment can help solve these challenges by establishing a process improvement roadmap and building consensus for active enterprise intelligence across the organization. Overall data warehousing processes are examined and a specific evaluation module is included for companies seeking to activate the data warehouse.

Keep it fresh

Data freshness is more critical than ever for operational employees. For example, suppose a customer places an order on a Web site and then decides to modify or cancel the order 15 minutes later. Often, the customer will contact the call center and expect an agent to view and change the order. More frequent loading of data from operational systems would facilitate access to the order and enable the agent to better serve and satisfy the customer's request.

Teradata experts facilitate the procedure by gathering input from the organization's executives across 10 key categories. (See figure 2 below.) A typical assessment extends over five to eight weeks, but the scope can vary based on customer needs.

Using the information gathered by the facilitators, the Data Warehouse Maturity Assessment reviews data integration strategies, available technologies and data currency and provides recommendations based on the needs of operational and strategic users.

Many facets to determining data warehousing success are examined in this assessment. Two of these are important areas for activating the data warehouse: workload management and data integration (loads).

Workload management tools and techniques such as Teradata Active System Management can assist a database administrator in identifying classes of queries (workloads) and establishing service level goals. To ensure system resources are available to meet user needs, the assessment reviews workload management profiles and policies and makes recommendations.

Active data loading is increasingly important for enterprises that want to respond to customer requests in near real time or in real time. Operational users benefit from active data loading, because they can access the most current information regarding customers, suppliers and partners. Fresher data also benefits strategic users such as marketing professionals as they can make near real-time adjustments to promotions, pricing, marketing campaigns, product orders, etc.

Through the Data Warehouse Maturity Assessment, Teradata experts make recommendations on how the company can improve the management and efficiency of its data warehouse processes. Using this tool, organizations can:

	Determine current and planned goals for active enterprise intelligence
	Perform a gap analysis to identify variances
	Prioritize the identified areas needing improvement

Performance Assessment
An active data warehouse is different from a traditional system because, in an active environment, new operational applications, users and data sources must be added.

When a poorly performing data warehouse evolves into an active data warehouse, user frustration is not far behind. Queries for strategic and operational users are not answered in a timely fashion, data is not as fresh as it could be, applications run slowly, and service levels rapidly decrease.

However, with the right performance management practices in place, the data warehouse is optimized to perform at peak levels. Workloads are properly managed, data is available when needed and resources are aligned to meet service levels for all users.

With the Performance Assessment, Teradata consultants examine current data warehouse performance processes and make recommendations for improvements based on best practices culled from hundreds of engagements. A key deliverable is documentation of current practices, a review of variances from best practices and recommendations for obtaining optimum data warehouse performance. This assessment can be completed in as little as one week, depending on the data warehouse size and maturity.

Three services, one outcome
Active enterprise intelligence is a powerful business strategy that can confer unparalleled competitive advantage for companies wishing to meet and exceed customer expectations. With Teradata Professional Services, company executives will have a better assessment of their current capabilities and a roadmap for active enterprise intelligence success. T

Paul Barsch has more than 12 years of IT experience and manages Teradata Professional Services marketing programs.