What does the ELT process stand for in data processing?

The ELT process stands for "Extract, Load, then Transform." In this approach, the initial step involves extracting data from various sources, which can include databases, applications, and file systems. Once the data is extracted, it is then loaded into a destination storage system, typically a data warehouse or a cloud storage solution. After the data has been successfully loaded, transformation processes are applied to prepare the data for analytics and reporting.

The ELT method is particularly beneficial in cloud data architecture, as it allows for more efficient handling of large volumes of data and leverages the power of the destination system to perform transformation tasks, rather than relying on separate processing before data loading. This differs from other data processing approaches, which may place the transformation step before loading, leading to potentially more complexity and longer processing times.

This method is becoming increasingly popular due to the scalability and performance advantages of modern cloud databases and data lakes, where raw data can be stored and transformed as needed, thereby allowing for greater flexibility in data analysis.