Architectures of Data Warehouse

1. What are the key similarities and difference between two-tier and three-tier architecture?

Similarities: 

Give user an interface to access and use application and data warehouse

Differences:

2-tier, Data warehouse and Application in one machine

3-tier, Data warehouse and application in different machine

2. how the web influenced data warehouse design?

with the web, the application and data warehouse can be placed in the server and the user interface also can be displayed in web browser.

3.  List the alternatives for data warehouse architectures and 10 factors of deciding an architecture?
DW possible architectures:

 - Independent Data Marts Architecture

- Data Mart Bus Architecture with linked Dimensional Data Marts

- Hub-and-Spoke Data Mart Architecture / Dependent Data marts

- Enterprise Data Warehouse Architecture

- Federated Data Warehouse Architecture

10 factors for deciding dw's architecture

- Information interdependence between organizational units

- Upper management's information needs

- Urgency of need for a data warehouse

- Nature of end-user tasks

- Constraints on resources 

- Strategic view of the data warehouse prior to implementation

- Compatibility with existing systems

- Perceived ability of the in-house IT staff

- Technical issues

- Social/political factors

4.Which data warehousing architecture is the best ? why ?

basically all architecture is good, they all have some strong and weak points. the best architecture is dependent to environment where the architecture is implemented . so, the thing that we must do to select the best architecture is knowing the environment.