Must the data warehouse DBMS be the same vendor/engine as the operational (OLTP) DBMS?

Database Database Processing for BIS Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
  • A
    Invalid statement — warehouses commonly use different DBMSs
  • B
    Valid statement — both tiers must match
  • C
    Valid only in on-prem deployments
  • D
    Valid if star schemas are used
  • E
    Valid when ETL is scheduled nightly

Answer

Correct Answer: Invalid statement — warehouses commonly use different DBMSs

Explanation

Introduction / Context:Enterprises frequently separate OLTP systems (row-oriented, transaction-focused) from analytics warehouses (columnar, scan-optimized). This question asks whether both tiers must run on the same DBMS.

Given Data / Assumptions:

  • OLTP emphasizes concurrency, short transactions, and indexing.
  • Warehouses emphasize large scans, aggregates, and compression.
  • ETL/ELT processes move and transform data between heterogeneous systems.

Concept / Approach:There is no requirement that the warehouse DBMS match the operational DBMS. In fact, heterogeneity is normal: for example, OLTP on PostgreSQL or MySQL and a warehouse on a columnar MPP platform or cloud data warehouse.

Step-by-Step Solution:Identify differing workload characteristics.Recognize specialized engines for each workload.Conclude the statement requiring sameness is invalid.

Verification / Alternative check:Reference common architectures that integrate multiple engines via ingestion pipelines and semantic layers.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:Deployment model, schema shape, or ETL cadence do not enforce vendor uniformity.

Common Pitfalls:Assuming a single DBMS can optimally satisfy both OLTP and OLAP without trade-offs.

Final Answer:Invalid statement — warehouses commonly use different DBMSs

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