BASI DI DATI DI SUPPORTO ALLE DECISIONI

Obiettivi di apprendimento

The student who completes the course successfully will be able to demonstrate advanced knowledge of the main issues related to the use of specific databases, the Data Warehouse, organized to create the right models for measurable key business processes, to support informed decisions about how to improve them. The student will acquire knowledge of the fundamental concepts about a conceptual model for designing data warehouses used to analyze key business processes that are measurable and worthy of improvements, the logical data model to implement them, the analytic SQL for producing interesting reports to evaluate the performance of the modeled key processes in order to improve them. Lastly, the student will be aware of how to use a specialized DBMS in the right way to develop a best performing business intelligence application.

The assessment of the course consists of a written and an oral exam. In the written exam, the student must demonstrate the use of knowledge of the course contents to solve problems. During the oral exam the student must be able to demonstrate knowledge of the course contents and be able to discuss the topics thoughtfully and with propriety of expression.

The student will be able to design Data Warehouses, to query them using analytic SQL queries, and to optimize them using indexes and materialized views.

The written exam will include design exercises, SQL query writing, and optimization analysis exercises.

The student will be able to critically approach complex design processes which require interpreting user requirements.

The written exam will include design exercises with user requirements in natural language form.

Prerequisiti

A Bachelor level course in Databases, including the following topics: relational algebra, SQL, DBMS architetctures. Students must be fluent in English (the course is part of a Master degree held in English).

Indicazioni metodologiche

Teaching methods: face to face lectures in English

Learning activities:

• attending lectures
• participation in discussions
• individual study
• exercises
• office hours

Attendance: strongly advised

Programma

The course presents the main approaches to the design and implementation of decision support databases, and the characteristics of business intelligence tools and computer based information systems used to produce summary information to facilitate appropriate decision-making processes and make them more quick and objectives. Particular attention will be paid to themes such as conceptual and logical Data Warehouses design, data analysis using analytic SQL, algorithms for selecting materialized views, data warehouse systems technology (indexes, star query optimization, physical design, query rewrite methods to use materialized views). A part of the course will be dedicated to a collection of case studies.

Bibliografia

Decision Support Databases Essentials, A. Albano and S. Ruggieri, 2016. The textbook is available for free on the web.

Databases Essentials, A. Albano, 2016. The textbook is available for free on the web.

Non frequentanti

There is no specific rule for non-attending students.

Modalità di esame

The exam consists of a written part and an oral part. The written part consists of open questions, small exercises, and a Data Warehous design problem. Examples with solutions are provided at the course home page. Students are admitted to the oral part if they receive a grade of at least 18/30. Oral consists of open questions on the topics of the course. 

Pagina del corso

Fonte: ESSETRE e Portale esami