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Would you suggest recovery strategies in data warehousing while loading high volumes of data?

Q: Would you suggest recovery strategies in data warehousing while loading high volumes of data?

Chuck Kelley's Answer:

One of the recovery strategies that I have successfully used in the past is to have the extract, transform and load (ETL) process bulk load files to the database. Then I would keep that data for some amount of time and use those for my recovery. For example, I might do a full backup on the first of the month. Then keep the load files for the balance of the month. Then if I need to recover, just recover the last full backup and bulk load all of the files. However, this depends on doing no "updates" to the data warehouse. Another option might be done for recovery is to keep a separate database and use log shipping to update that database. Then it is always ready. You will need to balance cost versus recovery time.

Regardless of what you choose, please test it. There are too many places that have great recovery strategies but have never tested them. Of course, they will fail.

Anne Marie Smith's Answer:

I would always have a recovery strategy for any loading of data to the data warehouse (DW), regardless of the amount of data. It is essential to have a good backup and recovery plan in the project and to use the plan when necessary. Exactly what you back up and recover and when is dependent upon the project and the tools and other issues, but the plan/strategy should be developed, implemented and refined during the project development phase.


Anne Marie Smith is a highly acclaimed author and speaker in the fields of data stewardship, data governance, data warehousing, data modeling and metadata management. She holds a doctorate in Management Information Systems and has taught at LaSalle University. Smith serves on the board of directors of DAMA International and is an expert advisor to DM Review's Ask the Experts. Smith is the director of education at EWSolutions, a GSA schedule partner and systems integrator dedicated to providing companies and government agencies with best-in-class business intelligence solutions using data warehousing, enterprise architecture and managed metadata environment technologies (www.EWSolutions.com). She may be reached directly via email at AMSmith@EWSolutions.com.

Chuck Kelley is an internationally known expert in database and data warehousing technology. He has 30 years of experience in designing and implementing operational/production systems and data warehouses. Kelley has worked in some facet of the design and implementation phase of more than 50 data warehouses and data marts. He also teaches seminars, co-authored four books on data warehousing and has been published in many trade magazines on database technology, data warehousing and enterprise data strategies. He can be contacted at chuckkelley@usa.net.

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