Two "dimensional modeling” techniques are generally used for modeling the data structures within a data warehouse context.
These are the "star schema” and "snowflake schema” techniques. Both find their roots within the Kimball dimensional modeling techniques.
A star schema is the preferred technique within the Kimball approach.
Properties of star schemas :
- are easier to navigate
- improves query performance
- eases the "browsing” of dimensionsis
- more widely used and
- the dimensions are fully de-normalized.