A nice article about different solutions to setting up a reporting system architecture:
“Over the past some years as a developer and database wonk, I have worked at numerous companies. Every time I change jobs, it seems that I am faced with the same classic OLTPOLAP delimma; the current OLTP system is experiencing performance degredation due to the fact that it is also being used to support reporting needs.
To solve this problem, someone brilliantly comes up with the idea of creating a “reporting” database to support the reporting needs. A simple solution in theory, but not nearly as simple in practice.”