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Q:

Explain the difference between star and snowflake schemas.

Answer

Star schema: A highly de-normalized technique. A star schema has one fact table and is associated with numerous dimensions table and depicts a star.


Snow flake schema: The normalized principles applied star schema is known as Snow flake schema. Every dimension table is associated with sub dimension table.


 


Differences:


- A dimension table will not have parent table in star schema, whereas snow flake schemas have one or more parent tables.


- The dimensional table itself consists of hierarchies of dimensions in star schema, where as hierarchies are split into different tables in snow flake schema. The drilling down data from top most hierarchies to the lowermost hierarchies can be done.

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