Quiz 1

Multiple optional questions

- The data in the ….. is row and up-to-date data.

A. CRM
B. KDD
C. ODS
D. DW
- Which of the following is used for reporting and decision oriented?
A. OLTP
B. ODS
C. None
D. OLAP
- The time-point for performing extraction when a new item is added to a product group is
A. Event driven
B. On request
C. Periodical.
D. Immediate
- Which of the following contains a separate copy of the data which will be loaded from ODS
to the DW
A. ERP
B. Presentation area
C. ODS
D. Staging area
- The full form of OLAP is …….
A. Online Analytical Performance
B. Online Analytical Processing
C. None
D. Online Advanced Processing
- Which of the following are database that serve daily operations of the enterprise e.g.
production, sales, accounting
A. Operational data stores.
B. Staging area
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 C. Metadata
D. Data marts
- The data in the …… is summarized and slightly outdated data
A. ODS
B. DW
C. KDD
D. CRM
- When operating a DW the following phases can be identified except
A. Lodning
B. Transforming
C. Extracting
D. Programming
- Which of the following is used for reporting and decision oriented?
A. OLTP
B. ODS
C. OLAP
D. None
- ……. is a subject-oriented, integrated, time-variant, nonvolatile collection or data in
support of management decisions,
A. None
B. Data Warehousing
C. Text Mining
D. Data Mining
- Unlike the Classical SDLC, the last step in the DW SDLC is:
A. Analysis
B. Design
C. Requirement
D. None

True and false questions

- Typical usage scenarios of DW are enterprise resource planning, capital budgeting,

marketing initiatives, etc

True False
- The most important asset of any organization is data
True False
- Typical usage scenarios of DW are purchasing, production distribution, sales, etc
True False
- A data warehouse is a collective data repository built for analytical tasks
True False
- Data is extracted from the operational environment, then it is loaded into the DW, and
finally it can be cleaned while it is in the DW repository
True False
- The lifecycle of the data warehouse is same as the classical system development lifecycle
True False
- DW may be centralized or geographically and technologically distributed
True False
- A data warehouse differs from an operational database in the most data warehouse have a
product orientation and are designed to handle transactions that update the database
True False
- Users of the DW are DSS analysts and they work explorative
True False
- Typical usage scenarios of ODS are enterprise resource planning, capital budgeting,
marketing initiatives, etc
True False

Quiz 2
Multiple optional questions

- The multidimensional model offers some advantage in the context of DW, such as:
A. Ease of maintenance
B. Performance
C. Ease of data presentation
D. All of the above

 - In categories of data modeling, the high-level data models are also called.
A. A.Logical models
B. Triggered models
C. Conceptual models
D. Physical models
- In an E-R diagram relations is represented by
A. Ellipse
B. Circles
C. Diamond shaped box
D. Rectangles
- Data in the DW can be stored according to:
A. All of the above
B. Relational model
C. Multidimensional model
D. None of the above
- Which of the following can be used to construct ME/R Model
A. Classification edge
B. All of them.
C. Level node
D. Fact node
- UML can be tailored to specific domains by using the following mechanisms:
A. All of the above.
B. Stereotypes.
C. Constraints.
D. Tagged values.
- A(n) ….. provides the definition and format of data.
A. Data model
B. DW
C. UML
D. ODS
- A(n) ….. represents the integrated data requirements of a complete business organization.
A. Object Area Data Model
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 B. Project Data Model

C. Enterprise Data Model
D. Subject Area Data Model
- The data staging area should be accessible only to ………
A. Analysts
B. Skilled DW professionals
C. Analysts
D. ODS admins
- In database management system, the term which is used to represent the real world concept
or object is classified as
A. Attribute
B. Entity
C. Relationship
D. Abstraction

True and false questions

- The complexity usually decreases when the number of tier-interfaces increase

True False
- The DW persistently stores raw data only
True False
- An independent data mart is a small warehouse designed for a department and there is
separate ETL for each data mart.
True False
- Only skilled DW professionals can access the data staging area
True False
- Both operational data store admins and analysts have the authority to access the data
staging area
True False

 The Data Warehouse

True-False Questions
1. According to Inmon, a data warehouse is a subject-oriented, integrated database designed to
support DSS functions where the data is volatile and relevant.
Answer: False
2. A data warehouse is typically physically separated from transaction processing systems.
Answer: True

3. Only a small fraction of the data that is captured, processed and stored in the enterprise is
actually ever made available to executives and decision makers.
Answer: True

4. The most common component of a data warehouse environment is the operational data store.
Answer: True

5. A data mart is a subset of a data warehouse.

Answer:True

6. The essence of the data warehouse concept is a recognition that the characteristics and usage
patterns of operational systems used to automate business processes and those of a DSS are
fundamentally similar and symbiotically linked.
Answer: False

7. One difference between data warehouses and operational data stores is the presence of
metadata.
Answer: True

8. Metadata are data about data.

Answer: True

9. Metadata are detailed data that have been aggregated and condensed into a more useful form.
Answer: False

10. The very essence of the DW environment is that the data contained within the boundaries of
the warehouse are integrated. This integration manifests itself through consistency in naming
convention and measurement attributes, accuracy, and common aggregation.
Answer: True
11. The time horizon for data in the data warehouse is typically significantly longer than
operational data sores.
Answer: True

12. One of the benefits of integrated data is the establishment of a common unit of measure for
all synonymous data elements from dissimilar databases.
Answer: True

13. According to Inmon, because data warehouses are highly de-normalized, they are highly
redundant.
Answer: False
14. One objective of the data warehouse environment is to minimize the impact on operational
systems.
Answer: True

15. The end user in a data warehouse environment deals directly with the application messaging
layer.
Answer: False

16. The process management layer in a data warehouse can be thought of as a scheduler.
Answer: True

17. The processes needed to prepare the data to be loaded into a data warehouse are performed in
the data staging layer.
Answer: True

18. A data warehouse topology requires a centralized data warehouse that is accessed by one or
more decision support tools.
Answer: False

19. One of the most important factors in the development of a data warehouse is a
comprehensive architectural framework.
Answer: True Reference: p. 60

20. Transformation mapping metadata records how data from operational data stores and
external sources are transformed on the way into the warehouse.
Answer: True Reference: p. 57
Multiple Choice Questions
21. The most common component in the DW environment is the _____________. Its
primary day-to-day function is to store the data for a single, specific set of
operational applications.
a. data mart
b. data warehouse
c. operational data store
d. data staging tables

Answer: c

22. Which of the following is not true of a data warehouse?

a. Implicit in its definition is that the data warehouse is physically separated from all
other operational systems.
b. The data warehouse replaces the need for all other reporting systems within an
organization.
c. The data warehouse holds aggregated data and atomic data for management.
d. None of the above.

Answer: b

23. An alternative to the data warehouse concept is a lower-cost, scaled-down version

referred to as a:
a. data mart.
b. metadata warehouse.
c. operational data store.
d. None of the above.

Answer: a

24. Which of the following is not true of a data mart?

a. The data mart is often viewed as a way to gain entry into the realm of data
warehouses and to make the mistakes on a smaller scale.
b. Vendors of data warehouse applications have found it easier to deal with a small
group of isolated users than with the IS department of an entire organization.
c. The data mart is more efficient than a fully-developed data warehouse.
d. None of the above.

Answer: c

25. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a data warehouse?

a. Data integrated
b. Volatile
c. Subject oriented
d. Time variant

Answer: b Reference: p. 46
26. The essence of the data warehouse environment is that the data contained within the
boundaries of the warehouse are _____________.
a. integrated
b. consistent
c. streamlined
d. accurate

Answer: a Reference: p. 47

27. The concept of time variant data implies which of the following statements?
a. Data are simply assumed to be accurate as of some moment in time and not
necessarily right now.
b. Data are assumed to be accurate at the moment they were loaded into the data
warehouse.
c. Data are assumed to vary over time.
d. Both a and b

Answer: d Reference: p. 49

28. Which of the following activities would not normally be associated with a data
warehouse?
a. Loading
b. Updating
c. Accessing
d. None of the above.

Answer: b Reference: p. 50

29. The _______________________ represents the source data for the DW. This layer is
comprised, primarily, of operational transaction processing systems and external
secondary databases.
a. information access layer
b. operational and external layer
c. data access layer
d. process management layer

Answer: b Reference: p. 51

30. Which layer of the data warehouse architecture does the end user deal directly with?
a. Data access layer
b. Application messaging layer
c. Information access layer
d. None of the above.

Answer: c
31. The ______________ serves as a sort of interface or middleman between the
operational and information access layers and the data warehouse itself. This layer
spans the various databases contained within the DW and facilitates common access
by the DW users.
a. data access layer
b. application messaging layer
c. information access layer
d. None of the above.

Answer: a

32. Which of the following would not be a good example of metadata?

a. The directory of where the data is stored.
b. The rules used for summarization and scrubbing.
c. Where the operational data came from.
d. All of the above are examples of metadata.

Answer: d Reference: p. 55

33. Which layer within the data warehouse architecture focuses on scheduling tasks that
must be accomplished to build and maintain the data warehouse and data directory
information?
a. Data access layer
b. Process management layer
c. Application messaging layer
d. None of the above.

Answer: b
34. Which of the following is a valid data warehouse configuration?
a. Centralized data warehouse
b. Virtual data warehouse
c. Distributed data warehouse
d. All of the above.

Answer: d

35. The _____________________ has to do with transporting information around the

enterprise computing network. This layer is also referred to as the "middleware,” but
it can typically involve more that just networking protocols and request routing.
a. application messaging layer
b. process management layer
c. data access layer
d. information access layer

Answer: a
36. The ____________________ is where the actual data used for decision support
throughout the organization are located.
a. information access layer
b. operational and external layer
c. physical data warehouse layer
d. process management layer

Answer: c

37. The final component of the DWA is the __________________. This layer includes
all of the processes necessary to select, edit, summarize, combine and load data
warehouse and information access data from operational and/or external databases.
a. data staging layer
b. operational and external layer
c. physical data warehouse layer
d. process management layer

Answer: a

38. The process that records how data from operational data stores and external sources
are transformed on the way into the warehouse is referred to as:
a. summarization algorithms.
b. transformation mapping.
c. back propagation.
d. extraction history.

Answer: b

39. The _____________________ applied to the detail data are of importance to any
decision maker analyzing or interpreting the meaning of the summaries. These
metadata can also save time by making it easier to decide which level of
summarization is most appropriate for a given analysis context.
a. summarization algorithms
b. transformation mapping
c. back propagation
d. extraction history

Answer: a

40. Whenever historical information is analyzed, meticulous update records must be kept. Often
a decision maker will begin the process of constructing a time-based report by reviewing the
________________ because any changes to the business rules must be ascertained in order
to apply the right rules to the right data.
a. summarization algorithms
b. transformation mapping
c. back propagation
d. extraction history

Answer: d
Essay Questions
41. What are the seven deadly sins of data warehouse implementation?

1. “If you build it, they will come.”

2. Omission of a data warehouse architectural framework.
3. Underestimating the importance of documenting all assumptions and potential
conflicts.
4. Abuse of methodology and tools.
5. Abuse of the data warehouse life cycle.
6. Ignorance concerning the resolution of data conflicts.
7. Failure to document the mistakes made during the first DW project.

42. What are the characteristics of a data warehouse?

Subject orientation: data are organized based on how the users refer to it.
Integrated: all inconsistencies regarding naming convention and value representations are
removed.
Nonvolatile: data are stored in read-only format and do not change over time.
Time Variant: data are not current but normally time-series.
Summarized: operational data are mapped into a decision-usable format.
Large Volume: time-series datasets are normally quite large.
Not Normalized: DW data can, and often are, redundant.
Metadata: data about data are stored.
Data Sources: internal and external unintegrated operational systems.

43. What is a data warehouse?

A data warehouse is “a collection of integrated, subject-oriented databases designed to

support the DSS function, where each unit of data is nonvolatile and relevant to some
moment in time. Implicit in this definition is that: (1) the data warehouse is physically
separated from all other operational systems and (2) the data warehouse holds aggregated
data and transactional data for management separate from those used for online transaction
processing.
44. List and explain the different layers in the data warehouse architecture.

The operational and external database layer represents the source data for the DW. This layer
is comprised, primarily, of operational transaction processing systems and external secondary
databases. The information access layer of the DWA is the layer that the end-user deals with
directly. In particular, it represents the tools that the end user normally uses day-to-day to
extract and analyze the data contained within the DW. The data access layer serves as a sort
of interface or middleman between the operational and information access layers and the data
warehouse itself. This layer spans the various databases contained within the DW and
facilitates common access by the DW users. In order to provide for universal data access, it is
absolutely necessary to maintain some form of data directory or repository of metadata
information. Metadata are data about the data stored within the DW. The process
management layer focuses on scheduling the various tasks that must be accomplished to
build and maintain the data warehouse and data directory information. The application
messaging layer has to do with transporting information around the enterprise computing
network. This layer is also referred to as the "middleware," but it can typically involve more
than just networking protocols and request routing. The physical data warehouse layer is
where the actual data used for decision support throughout the organization is located. The
final component of the DWA is the data staging layer. Data staging (sometimes referred to as
copy or replication management) includes all of the processes necessary to select, edit,
summarize, combine, and load data warehouse and information access data from operational
and/or external databases.

45. What are metadata? Why are they so important to a data warehouse?

Metadata are simply an abstraction from data. They have been defined as data about data. It
is high-level data that provides us with a concise description of lower-level data. Metadata
are an essential ingredient in the transformation of raw data into knowledge. Metadata are
useful in finding correlations within the data.