Very few database authors mention the challenges of globalization and localization in any meaningful way. There’s a similar lack of foresight from database architects. The fact is that many authors and designers are frequently very ‘self-centric’: they create (or write about) data models that only properly handle their local time…Read more
We’ve just released SQL Prompt 7.2 with new SSMS 2016 support, features and fixes. If you’re new to SQL Prompt try it for free. If you already use it, just ‘check for updates’ in SQL Prompt to upgrade to the new version. For more detail on what’s new, read on.…Read more
In the previous two articles, we considered the two most common data warehouse models: the star schema and the snowflake schema. Today, we’ll examine the differences between these two schemas and we’ll explain when it’s better to use one or the other.Read more
In this era of globalization, companies – including software developers – are always interested in expanding to new markets. This often means localizing their products for different areas. In this article, we’ll explain a few approaches to designing your data model for localization - specifically, for managing content in multiple…Read more
In a previous article we discussed the star schema model. The snowflake schema is next to the star schema in terms of its importance in data warehouse modeling. It was developed out of the star schema, and it offers some advantages over its predecessor. But these advantages come at a…Read more
This is the fourth in our multi–part series on data modeling for information security as well as data characteristics. A simple data model for a fictional website that supports shared–interest organizations (bird–watching clubs, etc.) has provided us with content for exploring data modeling from a security viewpoint. Read more
People evaluating our software often ask us to send them an analysis document showing how we stack up against our competitors. It’s a very reasonable request, but because it’s one I always turn down I thought it would be worth sharing why I don’t think they’re meaningful. They’re selective During…Read more
Today, reports and analytics are almost as important as core business. Reports can be built out of your live data; often this approach will do the trick for small- and medium-sized companies without lots of data. But when things get bigger – or the amount of data starts increasing dramatically…Read more