When is the right time to use Data Vault?

Data Vault is a modern approach to data platform design and implementation that supplies an efficient, secure, and flexible way to store and manage substantial amounts of data. The method was developed by Dan Linstedt in the early 2000s and has gained popularity among organisations looking for a modern data architecture. However, not every organisation needs to use Data Vault. It’s essential to understand when the right time is to use Data Vault, and when to avoid it.

Here are five factors to consider when deciding whether to use Data Vault:

Large and complex data sets

Data Vault is ideal for organisations that deal with large and complex data sets. If your organisation has multiple sources of data and needs to consolidate this data into a single source of truth, then Data Vault can be an excellent solution. Data Vault’s flexible modelling approach can manage complex data relationships, which can be challenging to oversee with other modelling techniques.

Changing business requirements

If your organisation’s business requirements change frequently, then Data Vault can be a good fit. Data Vault’s agile methodology allows you to amend your data model without affecting the existing data. This flexibility can help your organisation quickly adapt to changing business needs. It also allows you to build new capabilities and add to them incrementally – starting small and growing over time.

Long-term audit and data lineage

Data Vault is designed to store historical data over a long period of time. If your organisation needs to keep track of historical data for compliance or business reasons, then Data Vault can be an ideal solution. The data model’s structure allows you to both keep a record of data lineage and gives inherent audit capabilities to track changes over time and maintain a complete history of your data.

Automation and Collaboration

Data Vault can be a good fit for your organisation if you have multiple teams working on data warehousing projects. The method is pattern-based, and thereby lends itself to automation promoting efficiency and collaboration. This can lead to faster development times and more efficient use of resources.

Cost effectiveness

Data Vault can be cost-effective both in the short run and the long run. In the short run, it enables rapid prototyping and incremental agile project delivery. Since the method is designed to manage large, complex data sets from multiple sources and changing business requirements, a well-designed Data Vault make any refactoring and reworking manageable – reducing the need for major rework and accommodating inevitable business change. This helps organisations save time and money in the long run.

Summary

While Data Vault can be an excellent solution for organisations that meet the above criteria, it may not be the best fit for everyone. If your organisation has a relatively small data set or has stable business requirements, then other data modelling techniques may be a better fit.

To summarise, Data Vault is a scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solution for organisations dealing with multiple large, complex data sets that have changing business requirements, and the need for data lineage and auditability.

There are a range of automation tools available to support your project. It’s also worth ensuring that you have a sound understanding of the method before starting, to avoid rookie mistakes.

We offer a comprehensive list of services, including coaching and collaborative development to help embed Data Vault best-practice into your business. See how we can help here.