Chapter 2. Data Integration

If you ask ten knowledgeable people for their definition of integration, you are likely to get ten different answers. Most of the answers will be an interpretation of Webster's dictionary definition for integration, which is, “to make whole or complete by adding or bringing together parts.” This can mean anything from two systems passing data back and forth (loosely coupled) to a shared data environment in which all data elements are unique and non-redundant and are reused by multiple applications (tightly coupled).

For example, when creating an integrated view of a customer, you might start by bringing together customer-related ...

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