A UML Based Approach for Modeling ETL Processes in Data Warehouses

Data warehouses (DWs) are complex computer systems whose main goal is to facilitate the decision making process of knowledge workers. ETL (Extraction-Transformation-Loading) processes are responsible for the extraction of data from heterogeneous operational data sources, their transformation (conversion, cleaning, normalization, etc.) and their loading into DWs. ETL processes are a key component of DWs because incorrect or misleading data will produce wrong business decisions, and therefore, a correct design of these processes at early stages of a DW project is absolutely necessary to improve data quality. However, not much research has dealt with the modeling of ETL processes. In this paper, we present our approach, based on the Unified Modeling Language (UML), which allows us to accomplish the conceptual modeling of these ETL processes. We provide the necessary mechanisms for an easy and quick specification of the common operations defined in these ETL processes such as, the integ...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: ER
• Authors: Juan Trujillo, Sergio Luján-Mora
• Keywords: Data Sources, ER 2003, ETL Processes, Heterogeneous Operational Data