"We build systems like the Wright brothers built airplanes; build one, push it off the cliff, see if it flies; when it doesn't, run down the hill; pick up the pieces and build it again."
Gerald Weinberg
While it is often desirable to produce the “illusion” of a single enterprise-wide database, it is typically more practical to split the data into multiple datastores, each utilizing the most appropriate technology. Integrated Data Architecture involves determining (1) What portions of the Data Structure should be implemented together vs. separately and (2) What technologies should be used to implement each portion of the data structure.