Approaching ETL conceptual modelling and validation using BPMN and BPEL

Abstract

Data warehousing systems have reached their maturity for a long time ago in the area of decision support systems. From dimensional modelling to query optimization there are a lot of topics in the field that were already systematically studied and explored. However, ETL (Extract-Transform-Load) stills suffer from a lack of a simple and rigorous approach for modelling and validation of populating processes for data warehouses. In spite of being done significant efforts by researchers in that area, there is not yet a convinced and simply approach for modelling (conceptual and logical views), validating and testing an ETL process (or a group) before conducting it to implementation and roll-out. In this paper we explore the use of BPMN for ETL conceptual modelling, and develop the bridges to translate conceptual models to BPEL and to BPMN 2.0 later, in order to test and validate correctness and effectiveness of ETL processes designed, based on those two approaches for process model execution. We intend to provide a set of BPMN meta- models especially designed to map standard data warehousing ETL processes.