An Implementation of Exploratory OLAP System Based on Prasad’s Approach

Abstract

Unstructured and semi-structured data stored in data warehouses (e.g. comments, descriptions) are often not processed or ignored. As a result, valuable information may be lost, although there are several ways to handle these mostly textual data. Once this type of information is extracted, the result can be further investigated; amongst others, it can be incorporated into existing OLAP analysis. Technologies, more specifically frameworks, that allow the creation of a multidimensional schema from unstructured data of data warehouse are called exploratory OLAP. This article discusses a possible implementation of exploratory OLAP system based on Prasad’s model [1].

Unstructured and semi-structured data stored in data warehouses (e.g. comments, descriptions) are often not processed or ignored. As a result, valuable information may be lost, although there are several ways to handle these mostly textual data. Once this type of information is extracted, the result can be further investigated; amongst others, it can be incorporated into existing OLAP analysis. Technologies, more specifically frameworks, that allow the creation of a multidimensional schema from unstructured data of data warehouse are called exploratory OLAP. This article discusses a possible implementation of exploratory OLAP system based on Prasad’s model [1].