6.1 Which tool?

So far we have built and managed our database using the SQL*Plus interface, but there are a number of tools available to the user, DBA, and designer to facilitate easy warehouse creation and access. Now we will review some of the tools available from Oracle, which includes:

• Warehouse Builder

• Discoverer

• Reports (described in Chapter 8)

• OLAP and data mining (described in Chapter 9)

Oracle Warehouse Builder is a tool that helps the DBA design and manage the data warehouse, whereas Oracle Discoverer is an end-user tool for querying your data warehouse.

6.2 Oracle Warehouse Builder

Oracle Warehouse Builder (OWB) is Oracle's tool for designing and deploying data warehouses, data marts, and business intelligence applications. It is part of the Oracle 9 i Developer Suite, which includes products for application development, such as 9 i Jdeveloper, 9 i Designer, and 9 i Forms Developer. The Business Intelligence area includes products such as Oracle Discoverer (described later in this chapter), Oracle Reports (described in Chapter 8), and Oracle Warehouse Builder.

Building any type of application is not a task to be undertaken lightly, and the many steps to be completed when building our data warehouse and BI application can be facilitated by Oracle Warehouse Builder. It can:

• Design and create the data flows between sources and targets

• Design, create, manage, update, and upgrade the data warehouse schema

• Manage and update the source definitions

• Import data source definitions

• Design and create the OLAP and ad hoc...