The star schema (sometimes referenced as star join schema) is the simplest data warehouse schema, consisting of a single "fact table" with a compound primary key, with one segment for each "dimension" and with additional columns of additive, numeric facts.

The star schema makes multi-dimensional database (MDDB) functionality possible using a traditional relational database. Because relational databases are the most common data management system in organizations today, implementing multi-dimensional views of data using a relational database is very appealing. Even if you are using a specific MDDB solution, its sources likely are relational databases. Another reason for using star schema is its ease of understanding. Fact tables in star schema are mostly in third normal form (3NF), but dimensional tables are in de-normalized second normal form (2NF). If you want to normalize dimensional tables, they look like snowflakes (see snowflake schema) and the same problems of relational databases arise - you need complex queries and business users cannot easily understand the meaning of data. Although query performance may be improved by advanced DBMS technology and hardware, highly normalized tables make reporting difficult and applications complex.

Example SQL

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SELECT sum (f_sales.units_sold) FROM f_sales, d_customer, d_time, d_store, d_product WHERE f_sales.customer_id = d_customer.customer_id AND f_sales.date_id = d_time.date_id AND f_sales.store_id = d_store.store_id AND f_sales.product_id = d_product.product_id AND d_time.year_id = 1997 AND d_product.category_id = "tv" GROUP BY d_product.brand, d_store.country_iso_id Star Schema

Equivalent ANSI SQL-92 Example

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SELECT sum (f_sales.units_sold) FROM f_sales INNER JOIN d_customer ON d_customer.customer_id = f_sales.customer_id INNER JOIN d_time ON d_time.date_id = f_sales.date_id INNER JOIN d_store ON d_store.store_id = f_sales.store_id INNER JOIN d_product ON d_product.product_id = f_sales.product_id WHERE d_time.year_id = 1997 AND d_product.category_id = "tv" GROUP BY d_product.brand, d_store.country_iso_id

Alternate ANSI SQL-92 Example

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SELECT sum (f_sales.units_sold) FROM f_sales NATURAL JOIN d_customer NATURAL JOIN d_time NATURAL JOIN d_store NATURAL JOIN d_product WHERE d_time.year_id = 1997 AND d_product.category_id = "tv" GROUP BY d_product.brand, d_store.country_iso_id

See also

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• Snowflake schema

External links

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• http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?StarSchema
• Star Schema for Retail Sales
• Star Schema explanation by Craig Utley

Data warehousing | Data modeling

Sternschema | Esquema estrela | Схема звезды