What is a characteristic of an OLAP database compared to an OLTP database?

An OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) database is specifically designed to facilitate complex queries and analytical processing of data, making it well-suited for business intelligence and decision-making tasks. One of the key characteristics of an OLAP database is that it is typically denormalized. This means that the data is structured in a way that reduces the number of tables and relationships, which allows for faster retrieval of information during analytical queries.

Denormalization in OLAP databases often involves the use of aggregated data, where multiple data points are combined into a single entry to improve query performance. This contrasts with OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) databases, which are designed to handle a large number of transactions efficiently and often utilize a normalized structure to maintain data consistency and integrity.

In summary, the denormalized structure of an OLAP database supports quicker analytical querying by reducing the complexity and number of joins required when pulling data for reporting and analysis, making it the correct choice for distinguishing features of OLAP versus OLTP systems.