Using SPD Server with Data Warehousing

SPD Server offers data warehouse users an excellent facility to store data. SPD Server uses component files and partitioning to alleviate large table constraints such as device or directory size limits. SPD Server can perform storage services on a reliable and relatively inexpensive machine.

In addition to providing efficient, economical storage, SPD Server can deliver the enhanced processing capabilities users need to manage and query data in a warehouse. SMP processing provides the power to parallel-process huge tables. SPD Server offers multiple access, domain protection, and table locking. These features enable data warehouse users to secure and access their shared SPD Server.

Several data stores (repositories for data) are contained in a data warehouse. Three stores are of interest in the previous figure: detail tables, summary tables, and data marts. Organizations often store transactions that are up to 90 days old in a detail table, transactions that are up to a year old in a summary table, and additional data snapshots in data marts.

To perform queries, data warehouse users can use SAS with SAS syntax or PROC SQL syntax. Alternatively, SPD Server supports the use of other vendor applications that use SQL pass-through and that comply with other connection standards that SAS does not comply with. SPD Server can contribute significantly to the objectives of a data warehouse: to deliver low-cost, relevant, machine-independent, and timely information to users throughout the organization.