Flipping the ETL Script: When ELT Takes the Lead
Tags: dataengineering, dataintegration, etlvselt, datapipeline
Published: 2023-03-06 10:14:18

The decision between ELT and ETL for data management depends on a number of variables.

While both strategies have advantages, ELT is more appropriate in particular situations when rapid storage, adaptability in data integration, and access to raw historical data are needed.

Let's look at why ELT might be a better choice in these circumstances. 

## When should you use ELT?

Here are some scenarios where ELT might prove to be the best choice

### 1. When you need to process large amounts of data

Processing enormous amounts of data have become a typical demand for enterprises in today's data-driven environment. ELT may be preferable to ETL when dealing with such enormous volumes of data. 

ELT enables the processing of enormous data volumes without the requirement for a considerable amount of upfront processing time because, in ELT, the data is first fed into a target data store and subsequently transformed. ELT also allows for the concurrent processing of data, which cuts processing time even more.

Hence, if your project frequently processes big volumes of data, think about employing ELT for increased processing effectiveness and speed. 

### 2. When there is a quick storage requirement

In some situations, speed is crucial, and you need a solution that can process and store data rapidly. ELT may be a superior option in such circumstances since it skips the time-consuming transformation stage and feeds data directly into the destination system, resulting in quicker storage.

However, ELT might not be the ideal choice for complicated transformations or issues with data quality; it's vital to keep this in mind. 

### 3. When scalability is your priority

Due to the exponential increase in data volumes and the maturation of enterprises, scalability has emerged as a primary concern. Companies that value expansion has greater reason to choose ELT. 

Data transformation in an ELT architecture occurs in the target system, which paves the way for distributed processing and elastic scalability of resources. This makes ELT a highly scalable solution, as the data volume can be increased simply by adding additional nodes. 

While in order for ETL systems to accommodate ever-increasing amounts of data, substantial re-architecting and infrastructure investments may be necessary.

In addition, ELT may leverage the innate processing capacity of high-end data processing engines like Hadoop or cloud data warehouses, allowing for greater scalability. This is helpful for businesses that plan for future expansion and want to make sure their data integration procedures can handle the resulting increase in data volume.

### 4. When you want raw historical data

ELT can be the best choice for organizations that need access to raw historical data. In an ELT system, data is loaded into the target system without major changes. This makes it possible to analyze raw data. ETL, on the other hand, involves a lot of changes to data, which may cause raw data to be lost. 

ETL may be useful in some situations where the data needs to be highly processed, but ELT makes sure that organizations can access all of their historical data in its raw form. This gives them more options when analyzing and making decisions. But before choosing ELT, it's important to make sure the target system can deal with a lot of raw data.

### 5. When flexibility is the need of the project

Organizations that need to be nimble and adaptable in their data management absolutely must have data integration options that are as flexible as possible. In [comparison to ETL, ELT](https://www.simform.com/blog/etl-vs-elt-which-is-best-for-your-business/) can offer a more flexible data integration procedure. 

ELT systems allow for more flexibility in data integration because data is imported into the target system without major change. This means that the system may readily include new data sources without requiring extensive re-architecting or transformation activities.

ELT is a highly versatile option since it allows businesses to adjust easily to new data sources and shifting business needs. Yet, in cases where highly processed data is necessary, like in data warehousing, ETL may be the better option.

As a result, ELT may prove to be the superior option if the project makes use of data sources and formats that are prone to frequent modification. With ELT, you may make adjustments to your data flow as needed without having to start from scratch. This can make the data integration process more nimble and efficient, saving time and money.

## Examples of practical applications for ELT:

- Organization in the social media industry that aggregates information from multiple sources.
- A manufacturing factory that uses machine-collected data from sensors.
- An online retailer that collects information from a number of channels and is interested in learning more about its clientele's habits.
- A network operator that wishes to examine data from multiple networks.
- A gaming corporation has access to player data from multiple ga
mes that are interested in conducting player behavior analysis.

## Wrapping up

If you need to store large amounts of data quickly, have some leeway in how you integrate that data and have easy access to raw historical data, ELT is your best option. 

By skipping the transformation step, ELT speeds up storage and offers a more versatile data integration method, making it simpler to accommodate shifting business needs. In addition, ELT guarantees access to raw data for analysis, which is oftentimes critical. 

On the other hand, data warehousing and other applications that heavily process their data may benefit more from ETL. Which option is best will ultimately be determined by the organization's data management operations and the requirements of those processes.