Data Warehouse - Build or Buy?

[ngalemmo]

Data Warehouse - Build or Buy?

[Admin: oops I've accidentally deleted ngalemmo's original post. Apologies - I will recover from backups shortly]

[cognostechie]

Depends on the objective. What solution is required as the end result.

I have seen many people using SAP trying to implement their BW module only to realise that they spent 100 times more on the implementation cost and got 3/4 crappy cubes that are 100 times less powerful than what Powerplay can give them. The management got fed up of the endless implmentation that went on for 6 months , fired the BW team and brought Powerplay. Some brought Business Objects for report writing.

Some stick to BW because their requirement was basically Data Warehousing and BW is closely integrated with SAP R/3 but not with 3rd party systems. I know Powerplay and BW both so I see the difference. It's good for Data Warehousing but when it comes to BI then it fails. Creating cubes thru SAP BW is a hell of a job, involves 10 components to build the model and manually link them together, even after that, it requires continuous monitoring, tons of configuration if any change is required and they don't even have a front end. They use EXCEL to view the cube, called BEx by them (Business Explorer). They also have a web version but that hardly stands any chance compared to cubes on Upfront. For Ex: if you need to nest one inside another, you need to go back and do some configuration to tell BW what you want, then come back and do the nesting vs. just drag and drop in Upfront.

Don't know about Peoplesoft and Siebel but I haven't seen anything more powerful than Powerplay for BI though the solutions provided by ERP companies for Datawarehousing is usually good because they integrate their datawarehousing solutions with their own ERP closely and that's about it.

My experience has always been that one should hire a couple of programmers to write programs to transfer data from Production DB to DW DB and from that point on, use a good BI tool rather than the DW solution provided by the ERP Companies. It is much faster, less implementation cost and less chances of failure. Better cubes thru Powerplay.

If the objective is only report writing and if they already have a report writer in place then choosing their own solutions might be a better idea and run the report writer against their DW database.

[sophiak]

Great post ngalemmo.

Looks like there is much movement and activity amongst the industry heavyweights towards a 'single platform' offering.

http://www.computerworld.com/databasetopics/businessintelligence/story/0,10801,98171,00.html

Certainly I would be attracted to:
- the off-the-shelf solution
- the out-of-the-ONE-box solution
- the obvious integration issues that one might be able to avoid

Tangent: you wouldn't be Nick Galemmo the author would you?

[cognostechie]

Sometimes I wonder, what happens if the solutions provided by all the big companies (SAP, Peoplesoft etc) become as good as Cognos in terms of BI.

Would this mean that Cognos will lose business?

[ngalemmo]

To sophiak's tangent... yes.

My personal opinion is to go with best-of-breed and build the data warehouse.  Cognostechie's observations of BW are pretty much in line with what I have seen at other sites. 
In a previous position our team was developing a data warehouse in parallel to an effort to bring up BW to support SAP's APO module.  In this particular case, the R/3 system had been heavily modified.  The data warehouse integrated data from internal factory systems, SAP and Siebel. and was completed in less time than the BW implementation which only had to deal with GL data.
I would imagine if a company could run with SAP straight out of the box (or PeopleSoft for that matter) and had no other external systems to integrate with, there would be great benefit in implementing the vendor's solution.  The other 99.999% of companies out there would be better served considering alternatives.
As for the software vendors, I understand their need for revenue and certainly providing an analytics module allows them to check more boxes on RFP's... but... the industry would be better served if they partnered with ETL and reporting vendors and provided more open, adaptable solutions that any business can live with.

[COGNOiSe administrator]

I am very pleased to also confirm that ngalemmo is indeed Nicholas Galemmo - co-author of "Mastering Data Warehouse Design - Relational and Dimensional Techniques".

Nick graciously accepted an offer to join the COGNOiSe team and is a foundation member+Global Moderator. Not meaning to embarrass him - he brings over 30 years of IT industry experience and has published a host of articles covering data warehouses, systems integration and business intelligence. (Just do a search if you don't believe me!)

I've been pestering him to do a data warehouse/BI blog on COGNOiSe.com...I'd love to hear from the community if they would too (between the 370 of us, I'm sure we can help convince him)! ;)

Cheers,
Jon

[cognostechie]

It's really a matter of pride to have such a great personality among us here. I voted for it.

On the other hand, now that his original question has been edited (removed), my earlier post (as a reply to his original question) looks out of place.

Should I blank it out ?

[COGNOiSe administrator]

OOPS, I think I might have removed his original question by mistake(!).

Thanks for picking up my boo-boo. I'll try and recover it....(good thing you're on the ball, cognostechie!)

[sir_jeroen]

Cognoise Administrator,

Why don't you ask ngalemmo to write down a tutorial about how to build a DWH :D I think many of us would be very thankfull to him :D

[COGNOiSe administrator]

...but I wouldn't want to deny him of his rightful book royalties..... 8) heheheheh

But seriously, if you have a look at the News Box (top of page) one of the last few rss feeds is actually Claudia Imhoff's syndicated blog. As much as I respect Claudia's work, I would much rather read a blog from one of our own members!

VOTE YES!

[sir_jeroen]

But we all provide him with all our knowledge... That must compensate.. ;)

[ngalemmo]

Ok guys... knock it off!   ;D

I've been thinking about doing something, but my problem is time... I have a nasty commute (those of you who have been to Los Angeles and driven the 405 know what I'm talking about) and two kids (4 & 6 years old) at home who control my nights and weekends. 

Hmmm... I don't know... maybe I can skip lunch.    Naaah!

[sir_jeroen]

I live in Rotterdam... So I know what you are suffering.. But...If you love something to do you've got all the time you need ;D

So where are your priorities? with Cognoise or family ?  :P

[cognostechie]

I live in Los Angeles and I know what Nick is talking about.

Anyway, Nick, we would love it if you could find the time for this but family first..there I agree with you.

[COGNOiSe administrator]

....hey my two-year old (Samuel) voted YES!Ã,  ;)

(I'm with ReportNet Addict - COGNOiSe IS family)

[sir_jeroen]

HAHAHAH

You said it...
And you are the big boss :D

[cognostechie]

I voted YES too.

..and I never meant it like that. Ofcourse Cognoise IS family. I am sure Nick would do it but we gotta give him time for his family at home too. That's what I meant.

[COGNOiSe administrator]

It's all love.

I figure if you can't bring family to COGNOiSe then you gotta bring COGNOiSe to family!

With cognostechie and ngalemmo in LA, Addict in Rotterdam (Go Feyenoord and Dirk Kuyt), MFGF in the UK, and Darek in Chicago - where should we meet for a beer (or five)?

[sir_jeroen]

I would say in the middle... Australia?? :D

I'm with you where ever you go....

[COGNOiSe administrator]

To continue the discussion on the best of breed that Nick mentioned, I note the following blog article (in the news box):

http://www.computerworld.com/databasetopics/businessintelligence/story/0,10801,104623,00.html?source=x607

[Blue]

I'm in Sydney and don't know what you mean about the commute ... I walk! :)  Actually I'm based in Chicago but working in Sydney.  Qantas wouldn't let me bring my Saab conv. on the place as excess baggage. :(

Does this forum tool allow audio files?  If so Mr.  Galemmo could SPEAK his blog into a digital recording device whilst commuting and upload the sound bite to the forum.  Given how polite LA drivers are on the freeways it shouldn't be a problem. ;)

[MFGF]

It's all love.

I figure if you can't bring family to COGNOiSe then you gotta bring COGNOiSe to family!

With cognostechie and ngalemmo in LA, Addict in Rotterdam (Go Feyenoord and Dirk Kuyt), MFGF in the UK, and Darek in Chicago - where should we meet for a beer (or five)?

I'd be happy with LA.Ã,  It would be good to get a bit of sunshine this time of year.Ã,  Hosts buy the beer as they don't have to travel... :)

[sir_jeroen]

LA.. isn't that the place with all those gangs... Why not Rotterdam... The most beautifull place in the world!!

[MDXpressor]

It's all love.

I figure if you can't bring family to COGNOiSe then you gotta bring COGNOiSe to family!

With cognostechie and ngalemmo in LA, Addict in Rotterdam (Go Feyenoord and Dirk Kuyt), MFGF in the UK, and Darek in Chicago - where should we meet for a beer (or five)?

My preference would have to be Ottawa, it's pretty close to smack dab in the middle.  And just think, we could go for a tour of Cognos HQ at the same time.  I'll provide the tour, you provide the beer.

[MFGF]

Ottawa?  Cool - I haven't been there since 1995.  Cognos had just the one tower on Riverside at the time (and it was snowing!). Ahhh - the good old days! :-)

MF.