The Data Vault Handbook - Concepts and Applications

2.3. INFORMATION DELIVERY The Information Delivery layer is the final, user-facing layer in the Data Vault architec- ture, designed to cater to the specific needs of business users. This layer transforms the data stored in the Raw and Business Vaults

into formats that are easily accessible and actionable for end-users. Since this layer is closely aligned with business requirements, its design is highly flexible, accommodating various data models, such as star schemas, OLAP cubes, and flat or wide tables. The primary role of the Information Delivery layer is to ensure that data is delivered in a form that supports effective decision-making. This involves transforming the granular, historical data stored in the Raw Data Vault and the business logic applied in the Business Vault into intuitive, user-friendly formats. These formats are tailored to specific business use cases, allowing users to perform analysis, reporting, and data exploration with minimal complexity. By doing so, the Information Delivery layer acts as the bridge between the technical underpinnings of the data warehouse and the practi- cal needs of the business. Entities created within the Information Delivery layer can query both the Raw Data Vault and the Business Vault, depending on the nature of the data required. For instance, if a report demands raw, unmodified historical data, it might query the Raw Data Vault directly. Conversely, if the report needs data that has undergone business rule transformations, it would query the Business Vault. This dual capability ensures that the Information Delivery layer can provide the most relevant and accurate data for any given business scenario.