* A cutting-edge response to Ralph Kimball's challenge to the data warehouse community that answers some tough questions about the effectiveness of the relational approach to data warehousing * Written by one of the best-known exponents of the Bill Inmon approach to data warehousing * Addresses head-on the tough issues raised by Kimball and explains how to choose the best modeling technique for solving common data warehouse design problems * Weighs the pros and cons of relational vs. dimensional modeling techniques * Focuses on tough modeling problems, including creating and maintaining keys and modeling calendars, hierarchies, transactions, and data quality