Reading operational data difficulties Which of the following is NOT a typical reason that operational (OLTP) data is hard to read for BI purposes?
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ANon-duplicated data (no unnecessary repeats).
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BDirty data (typos, invalid codes, malformed values).
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CMissing values (nulls for required fields).
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DNon-integrated data (multiple unlinked systems).
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EData in the wrong format or granularity for analytics.
Answer
Correct Answer: Non-duplicated data (no unnecessary repeats).
Explanation
Introduction / Context:Operational databases are optimized for fast inserts/updates, not for analytics. BI teams commonly face quality issues, missing values, and data scattered across silos. This question asks you to spot the one choice that is not a problem.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Common OLTP problems include dirty data, nulls, and cross-system fragmentation.
- Analytics often needs denormalization and time-variant history.
- Duplicate records are a headache; non-duplicated data is actually good.
Concept / Approach:
“Non-duplicated data” describes a desirable state: having a single, correct record for each business entity. The other options describe real obstacles when preparing data for BI. Therefore, select the item that is clearly not a reason for difficulty.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Compare each option against known OLTP pain points.2) Dirty data → problem.3) Missing values → problem.4) Non-integrated → problem.5) Wrong format/granularity → problem.6) Non-duplicated data → actually helpful, thus NOT a reason.Verification / Alternative check:
Data quality frameworks aim to reduce duplicates, enforce constraints, and harmonize codes—improvements that make BI easier, not harder.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Dirty data: increases cleansing effort.
- Missing values: block accurate metrics.
- Non-integrated: requires heavy ETL.
- Wrong format: forces re-modeling and aggregation.
Common Pitfalls:
- Assuming normalized OLTP schemas are directly consumable by BI without transformation.
Final Answer:
Non-duplicated data (no unnecessary repeats).