2.3. Database Embedded ETL
Today, several DBMS vendors embed ETL capabilities in their products (as well as online analytical processing and data mining capabilities), which can reduce costs and simplify customer environments. On the surface, this could be seen as an obvious solution. However, organizations first need to understand the level and type of ETL processing that database vendors support, since only recently have serious ETL capabilities begun to appear.
Some DBMS vendors have opted to include third party ETL tools which leverage common database functionality, such as stored procedures and enhanced SQL, to perform transformations and aggregations in the database where appropriate. This enables third party ETL tools to optimize performance by exploiting the optimization, parallel processing, and scalability features of the DBMS. It also improves recoverability since stored procedures are maintained in a common recoverable data store. Other DBMS vendors are beginning to offer ETL functions that mirror features offered by ETL specialist vendors. Many database vendors now offer graphical development tools that exploit the ETL capabilities of their database products.
Overall, database vendors currently offer ETL capabilities that both enhance and compete against third party ETL solution providers. However, database-centric ETL solutions vary considerably in quality and functionality. Key limitations can be the range of data sources supported, transformation power, how mappings and business logic are constructed and administration. There is still the fact that most organisations don’t want to be locked into any single vendor’s engines, even if it is ORACLE.
