Here are some questions about online analytical processing (OLAP):
1. What is the main purpose of OLAP applications and tools?
- The main purpose of OLAP applications and tools is to allow users to ask complex queries of large multidimensional collections of data. They are used for data mining and discovering undisclosed relationships between data items.
2. Why is OLAP needed compared to traditional transaction processing systems?
- OLAP is needed because traditional transaction processing systems are not well-suited for analyzing historical data or discovering trends. OLAP allows data to be organized and queried multidimensionally to gain insights.
3. How is data typically sourced for an OLAP database?
- Data is typically