The definitive guide to actually building your data warehouse... Utilizing recent technology, small companies can finally build a data warehouse at a very affordable cost, and keep the design (and the data!) in-house. Large companies can now build and maintain their data warehouses better than ever before: faster, cheaper, more secure, and more agile. In fact, in this hands-on guide we will show the step-by-step development of an actual data warehouse prototype, using free-trial tools. This is a practical hands-on guide, and we will stick to the relevant topics that are important to someone who actually wants to build a DW as soon as possible. We won't be pontificating on academic positions, nor fluffing up the word count. We assume that you are more anxious to roll up your sleeves and get started than to debate theory with purists. Yet at the same time, we will detail the necessary planning that you must conduct in order to maximize the success of your data warehouse program. Along the way, we will identify and avoid the common pitfalls that can lead to failure. By following this step-by-step guide, you can create a data warehouse for your company or organization. You will not need a large budget. You will not need expensive outside consultants. You will not need to share your data outside your company. You will not need specialized skills beyond those of a typical database programmer or database administrator. Yes, you can build a data warehouse: on a small budget, completely in-house, using only your current database employee(s). Martin Gandalson will show you how, step by step. This toolkit can be used to build any data warehouse, data mart, or webhouse.