Which statement best describes a data warehouse?

Which statement best describes a data warehouse?

• A. The data warehouse is a database containing analytically useful information
• B. A data warehouse is developed to analyze specific business subject areas whereas an operational database supports specific operations
• C. A data warehouse is designed for direct data entry by users
• D. The data warehouse stores only summarized data

Answer: (A)

A data warehouse is a database built to support analysis and decision making by storing data from multiple sources in a centralized, integrated form that’s optimized for fast queries. This makes the statement that a data warehouse is a database containing analytically useful information the best description, because it focuses on the primary purpose: providing data specifically for analysis and business intelligence. It’s not meant for routine transactional entry, and a warehouse typically includes detailed as well as summarized history to support trends over time. The other options miss these points: data warehouses aren’t designed for direct user entry, they don’t store only summarized data, and while they are used for analysis of business areas, the core idea is that they hold analytically useful information for analysis.

A data warehouse is a database built to support analysis and decision making by storing data from multiple sources in a centralized, integrated form that’s optimized for fast queries. This makes the statement that a data warehouse is a database containing analytically useful information the best description, because it focuses on the primary purpose: providing data specifically for analysis and business intelligence. It’s not meant for routine transactional entry, and a warehouse typically includes detailed as well as summarized history to support trends over time. The other options miss these points: data warehouses aren’t designed for direct user entry, they don’t store only summarized data, and while they are used for analysis of business areas, the core idea is that they hold analytically useful information for analysis.