Data Architecture & Management Flashcards

What is the 'schema-on-read' approach in data architecture?

Answer: Applying the schema when data is read or queried rather than when it is stored

Schema-on-read defers schema application until query time, allowing raw data to be stored flexibly and interpreted differently based on the access pattern — the approach common in data lakes.

In dimensional data warehouse modeling, what is a 'fact table'?

Answer: A central table storing measurable, quantitative business events with foreign keys to dimension tables

A fact table stores measurable, quantitative events (sales, transactions, clicks) with numeric metrics and foreign keys linking to the surrounding dimension tables in a star or snowflake schema.

What is the role of the 'transformation' stage in an ETL pipeline?

Answer: Converting, cleansing, and restructuring data to meet target system requirements

The transformation stage converts data formats, cleanses errors, applies business rules, and restructures data to conform to the target system's schema and quality requirements.

In a polyglot persistence architecture, what guides the selection of different database technologies for different services?

Answer: Choosing the best-fit database type for each service based on its specific workload and access pattern

Polyglot persistence selects the most appropriate database technology (relational, document, graph, key-value, time-series, etc.) for each service's specific use case and data access pattern.

What is the primary responsibility of a data steward role in enterprise data architecture?

Answer: Owning and ensuring data quality and governance compliance for a specific business domain

A data steward is a business-domain expert responsible for maintaining data quality, enforcing governance policies, resolving data issues, and managing the data lifecycle within their assigned domain.

Which architectural pattern separates read and write models to optimize each for its specific performance and scalability characteristics?

Answer: CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation)

CQRS separates the command (write) model from the query (read) model, allowing each to be independently optimized, scaled, and structured for their specific performance requirements.

What does 'data democratization' mean in an enterprise architecture context?

Answer: Making data accessible and usable by all employees regardless of their technical skill level

Data democratization makes data accessible to all stakeholders across the organization through self-service tools, empowering non-technical users to analyze data and make data-driven decisions.