SQL for Data Warehousing and Analytics

I have put together an Apple iBook for our new SQL pattern matching feature. The book brings together the content from the recently published whitepaper, which is available via OTN , the recent series of three podcasts and a number of presentations covering pattern matching and the new MATCH_RECOGNIZE syntax. All the content you need to learn about this great new feature, bundled up in an Apple iBook that you can read anytime, anywhere on your iPad and iPad Mini. The best part is that you can watch the three recently published online podcasts on pattern matching ( Part 1 , Part 2 and Part 3 ) without the need for an internet connection because they bundled inside the iBook! The book has 5 chapters: Overview Introduction to pattern matching SQL pattern matching with MATCH_RECOGNIZE Customer use cases Conclusion You can download this new iBook by clicking here . This is a very large file (200MB) so, depending on your network connection, it may take some time to d...

Following on from last week's post " Oracle Database 12c Pattern Matching Podcasts - Part 2 " here is the last part of this three part series on the new SQL pattern matching feature. In this final podcast we review a series of uses cases and provide conceptual simplified SQL to solve these business requirements using the new SQL pattern matching functionality. These examples are taken from real-life requirements from customers in the financial services, retail, life sciences and telecommunications industries, although the scenarios are also applicable across many other industries. Click on the above image to launch the movie, if this for some reason this link does not work then copy & paste this url:  http://apex.oracle.com/pls/apex/f?p=44785:24:0::NO:24:P24_CONTENT_ID,P24_PREV_PAGE:7828,2 Note - the format is .MOV which is compatible with Apple iTunes/QuickTime. You may need to install QuickTime and/or use Apple Safari browser to access the file. There is a ...

Following on from last week's post " Oracle Database 12c Pattern Matching Podcasts - Part 1 " here is the second part of this three part series on the new SQL pattern matching feature. There are four basic steps for building a MATCH_RECONGIZE clause: Define the partitions/buckets and ordering needed to identify the ‘stream of events’ you are analyzing Define the pattern of events and pattern variables identifying the individual events within the pattern Define measures: source data points, pattern data points and aggregates related to a pattern Determine how the output will be generated The following podcast provides an overview of the most important keywords within the MATCH_RECOGNIZE clause in the context of these four simple steps.  The podcast can be accessed by clicking on the image below: (click on the above image to launch the movie, if this for some reason this link does not work then copy & paste this url:  http://apex.oracle.com/pls/apex/f?p=4...

In case you missed Wednesday's Oracle Database 12c launch webcast then the good news is that it is now available for on-demand replay. The live session was amazingly well attended and the questions posted by the participants were great. There were quite a few data warehousing questions posted and I think I managed to answer nearly all of them. If I missed your particular question then let me know and I will make sure you get an answer.   During the webcast Tom Kyte offered his "Top 12 features of Oracle Database 12c" and there were quite a few data warehousing features that made it on to his list: SQL analytics row_limiting/Top-n Pattern matching Partitioning enhancements Adaptive execution plans  You can watch the webcast right now by clicking on the image below, which will take you to the landing pad for the on-demand replay.  alternatively you can click here  to watch the webcast. FYI - there is a registration process but it is quite painless. Once you watc...

In my post last week, linked to the release of Oracle Database 12c, I outlined the new SQL Pattern Matching feature. If you have visited the Database home page on OTN you will noticed that this particular feature is called out in the section "Major New Oracle Database 12c Features and Products" so this is really quite a big deal! To help you explore and understand this feature I have recorded a series of three podcasts: Part 1 - Provides an introduction to pattern matching Part 2 - Reviews basic concepts, syntax and demonstration Part 3 - Documents a series of real world uses cases Over the next three weeks I will be posting links to these podcasts. The first podcast is now available and can be accessed by clicking on the image below: (click on the above image to launch the movie, if this for some reason this link does not work then copy & paste this url: http://apex.oracle.com/pls/apex/f?p=44785:24:0::NO:24:P24_CONTENT_ID,P24_PREV_PAGE:7827,2 ) Note - the...

Good news, I will be presenting two papers at this year's OOW . The first session is a customer panel:  Your Data Is Talking to You: Customers Describe How In-Database Analytics Drives Their Business Your data is talking to you, but do you have the analytics to listen? The business world today is filled with immense opportunities for translating the messages from our data into insights and actions. In this session, a panel showcases several customers that have taken listening to their data to completely new levels. Come hear how you can better use the database you have today to improve productivity, cut costs, and increase customer satisfaction with in-database analytics. This will be a great session because you will have the chance to talk to customers who are really pushing the boundaries of SQL analytics. If you are using SQL to drive your DW and BI solutions then come and share your ideas and use cases because this panel will definitely be a two-way communication session. ...

There is an interesting article in today's online edition of the Guardian newspaper ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/jul/01/how-algorithms-rule-world-nsa ) about the use of statistics by police departments around the world. There is even a new term to describe this "new" approach to policing -  Crush . It stands for "Criminal Reduction Utilising Statistical History" which means police forces are predictive analytics to help them fight crime. When you think about this (bearing in mind the recent revelations about the data collection and analysis operations of the US government) all law enforcement agencies are required to consider how, when and where to deploy their resources to ensure maximum " efficiency ". While the report in the Guardian focuses on the police department in Memphis, Tennessee it does mention in passing that two UK police forces who are also using Crush. I would like to add another example of this sophisticated approach to cr...