Data Extraction Techniques | Rosoka

How to extract data

News stories of data being ‘amassed’ or ‘mined’ are common. But, where is all the data coming from, and how is it being processed for valuable use? To understand the data industry, analyzing the data extraction process is vital. Useful capital data needs to be in the form of customer identities, consumer behaviors, beliefs, and other customer-related information. People are at the core of data. Companies attempting to go ‘smart’ need to generate and extract reams of valuable data. 

Extraction Methods in Data Warehouses

Extraction collects data from source systems. The extracted data is kept in a ‘data warehouse’ for further probe. The tools used in this transfer and transformation of data are - Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL). Extraction is the first step. Here’s how Extraction methods operate in data warehouse environments -- 

·        The data is transformed and stored in the data warehouse.

·        Data warehouses use transaction processing applications as source systems. For example, a transaction processing application may contain sales analytics data. This warehouse becomes the source system for the company’s data analyst.  

·        Extraction is the most complicated task in the ETL. Most source systems are inadequately recorded. Determining the value of data (in terms of its eligibility for extraction) is a complex process. 

·        Data extraction is a continuous process. The warehouses need to be updated as per the incorporation of new data in the source systems. 

Types of Data Extraction Tools

Data engineers while designing this complex process have vital decisions regarding – 
1.     The method of extraction 
2.     How to clean and transform the data for further processing?
In terms of Extraction Methods, there are two options – Logical and Physical. 
Logical Extraction also has two options - Full Extraction and Incremental Extraction. 
I.                  Logical
Full Extraction
All data is extracted directly from the source system at once. There’s no need for additional logical/technological information (for instance, dates of when the source system was updated). For instance, to export one file regarding a price change, the system completely extracts the organization’s financial records (copying the entire source table).
Incremental Extraction
Incremental Extraction deals with delta changes in the data. The Extraction tool is aware of its need to recognize new or changed information based on time and dates. Using the Incremental Extraction method means that the data engineer will have to add complex extraction logic first to the source systems. 
II.                Physical Extraction 
Source systems often have certain restrictions or limitations. For instance, drawing data from outdated data storage systems via logical extraction is impossible. The data can be extracted only by Physical Extractions. The two types of physical extraction include - Online and Offline Extraction. 
Online Extraction
The online data extraction process involves direct data transference from the source system to the data warehouse. For this process to be functional, the extraction tools need to directly connect either to the source system or transitional system that features pre-configured data chambers. The transitional system is an exact copy of the source system, except that the data is more structured.

Offline Extraction

There’s no direct extraction from the source system. The process takes place outside the source system. The data in such processes is either already structured (for instance, entry/exit logs) or structured via extraction routines. The scope of data that needs to be extracted and the phase in which the ETL process is operating at that time also influences the determination of how to extract. Essentially, businesses will have to invest in both logical and physical data extraction methods. 

Data Capture 

Data capture is an advanced extraction process. It enables the extraction of data from documents, converting it into machine-readable data. This process is used to collect important organizational information when the source systems are in the form of paper/electronic documents (receipts, emails, contracts, etc.). 
New Data Capture Systems incorporate the use of optical character recognition tools. Data that is scanned from digital documents are converted into machine-readable data (and sent to the data warehouse for further processing). Automated data capture processes play a critical role in integrating traditional businesses into the fold. These systems reduce the need for tedious labor, such as manual data entry. The processes are faster and more cost-efficient in the long run. With the help of Data Capture, businesses can now speedily upload their organizational content into smart processes. Modern data capture tools can now even create logical maps so that users can visually choose their extraction approach. You get to learn more about the operations in your data warehouse thanks to the user-friendly interface of data capture tools. 

Extract Data with Rosoka

Rosoka Software has been leading the field of data extraction, experimenting in complicated fields such as multilingual text analytics. Their latest tool, the updated Rosoka 7 series, can identify over thirty-six different entity types, over five-hundred different data relationship types, and simultaneously extract data in over two-hundred different languages. 

Conclusion

Consider this example of a smart refrigerator. Unlike regular refrigerators (that carry out limited tasks), a smart refrigerator is constantly active. Apart from keeping your food refrigerated, it keeps track of your food habits, food brands you prefer, manage your diet, etc. This is how the principle of Data Extraction application works. Data Extraction tools transform organizations into a data creating, amassing, and processing machine. Businesses need to gear up for competition as the data is limited, and the race for valuable data extraction in ON!