A data mart is a specialised subset of a Data Warehouse that is designed to support the specific reporting and analysis needs of a particular business unit, department, or functional area within an organisation. It contains a focused and curated set of data that is relevant to the specific requirements of the users who access it.
The purpose of creating a data mart is to provide quick and easy access to information for decision-making and analysis. By organising data in a way that is optimised for specific user groups or business functions, data marts enable users to retrieve and analyse data more efficiently and effectively.
In a simple word Data mart is a subsidiary of a data warehouse. The data mart is used for partition of data which is created for the specific group of users.
Here are some key characteristics of data marts:
| Characteristics | Details |
|---|---|
| Subject-Oriented | Data marts are organised around specific subject areas, such as sales, marketing, finance, or human resources. They contain data that is relevant to the needs of a particular business unit or department. |
| Subset of Data Warehouse | Data marts are typically derived from a larger data warehouse. They are created by selecting and extracting a subset of data from the data warehouse that is relevant to the specific business requirements of the intended users. |
| Simplified and Optimised | Data marts are designed to provide a simplified and optimised view of the data. They often involve data transformation, aggregation, and summarisation to support specific reporting and analysis needs. This simplification and optimisation help improve query performance and user experience. |
| User-Friendly | Data marts are designed to be user-friendly and intuitive for the business users who access them. They are typically tailored to the needs and preferences of the specific user group, providing a more focused and personalised data view. |
| Decentralised | Data marts are often created and managed by individual departments or business units within an organisation. This decentralisation allows for greater flexibility and agility in meeting the unique reporting and analysis requirements of different user groups. |
Overall, data marts provide a way to deliver targeted and actionable information to specific users or departments within an organisation, enabling them to make informed decisions and gain insights relevant to their respective areas of responsibility.