Because not every department deserves full database access.
A data mart is a specialized subset of a data warehouse that is designed to serve the specific needs of a particular business unit or department within an organization. Unlike a data warehouse, which aggregates data from across the entire organization, a data mart focuses on a narrower scope, providing tailored access to relevant data for specific analytical purposes. Data marts can be dependent, meaning they draw data from a central data warehouse, or independent, where they source data directly from operational systems. They are essential in data engineering as they facilitate faster query performance and more efficient data retrieval for business intelligence and analytics.
Data marts are commonly utilized in scenarios where specific teams, such as marketing or finance, require quick access to relevant datasets without the overhead of navigating a larger data warehouse. By isolating data pertinent to a particular function, organizations can enhance decision-making processes and improve operational efficiency. Data marts also play a crucial role in the overall data governance framework, ensuring that data is organized, accessible, and aligned with business objectives.
When the marketing team asked for insights on customer behavior, they didn't want to sift through the entire data warehouse; they just needed their data mart to get the answers quickly.
The concept of data marts emerged in the late 1980s as organizations began to recognize the need for more agile and focused data solutions, paving the way for the modern data-driven decision-making landscape we see today.
