Describe how Operational Databases and Data Warehouses are similar and different based on the characteristics listed below. 

Operational Database and Data Warehouse

a.     Data models

b.     Use of SQL

c.     Data Redundancy

d.     Time horizon (scope) of data

e.     Source(s) of data

f.      Data updates (changes to existing data)

g.     Data addition (inserting new data)

h.     Queries (amount of data retrieved)

i.       Other differences?

Step-by-step explanation

Operational Databases and Data Warehouses are similar and different based on the below characteristics as listed below.

Data models

The data model defines how to model the logical structure of the database. The data model is to introduce abstract basic entities into the DBMS. The data model defines how data is connected to each other and how the data is processed and stored inside the system Data models are similar in terms of processing.

For example

 They have similar processing procedures for data in databases and data warehouses, but they will be different in the content of each process. In a database, the data communication process is different from the data communication process. Processes in the data warehouse

Use of SQL

SQL is the most common language used to extract and organize data stored in relational databases. A database is a table composed of rows and columns. SQL is the language of the database. SQL stands for structured query language. The query process of the two is similar, but the query content is different because the query content needs to match the database and data warehouse.

Data Redundancy

Store the same data in multiple locations. Data redundancy in the database is that we should avoid unnecessary data. In a data warehouse, data redundancy is related to the data warehouse.

 Time horizon (scope) of data

Similarity is that time horizon is required for both to avoid huge data piled up but it is different in terms of time period for each of them

 Source of data

 The similarity is that both needs the source of data to be updated but the difference is that database is updated by users and data warehouse is updated by data from databases.

Data updates (changes to existing data)

The UPDATE command is used to update any data record in the table. Both require data update, but because the data range is much smaller than the data warehouse, data update can be easily performed in the database. In the data warehouse, data update is A complicated job

Data addition (inserting new data)

Data addition in database is complex than the data update in data warehouse, as warehousing for new data is easy than adding new data in database

 Queries (amount of data retrieved)

 The queries required for database for data retrievals is simpler than the data warehousing. Queries for data warehousing is more complex and difficult as it need more specialized skills.

Other Difference

The database was created for operational purposes and has been used for daily work requirements in the enterprise, but the data warehouse is not a daily operation, so users do not use it regularly. It can be retained for a longer period of time, and its purpose is to store data from multiple databases. Data  warehousing is large warehouse where the data for many databases can be stored for longer duration.