Technology: Files, Databases, Data Warehouses

LensCrafters uses customer files and employee files.  In the customer file, the customer’s last name is the primary key.  In the employee file, the employee ID is the primary key.    A database is a collection of information that you organize and access according to the logical structure of that information.  LensCrafters uses the relational database model which is a series of logically related two-dimensional tables or files to store information.  A relational database is composed of two distinct parts; 1) the information itself, stored in a series of two-dimensional tables, files, or relations and 2) the logical structure of that information.  LensCrafters database includes a data dictionary, primary keys, foreign keys, and integrity constraints.  The employees are responsible for entering customer and patient information into the database.  A data warehouse is a logical collection of information gathered from many different operational databases used to create business intelligence that supports business analysis activities and decision making tasks.  LensCrafters uses a data warehouse because no matter what location a customer goes to, employees are still able to pull up the customer information even if the information was entered at another location other than the one they are at.  A data mart is a subset of a data warehouse in which only a focused portion of the data warehouse information is kept.  Lenscrafters employees are able to use a data mart because sometimes a data warehouse can contain too much information.  Data marts can be created for merchandising, advertising, distribution, sales, marketing, production, service, and accounts receivable.  Data mining tools are software tools you use to query information in a data warehouse.  LensCrafters uses eyeNET software to manage its data.