What does data extraction refer to?

Data extraction specifically involves retrieving data from various sources to prepare it for analysis or further processing. This step is a critical part of the data integration process, where data may come from multiple databases, files, or external systems. The goal of data extraction is to gather raw data from these disparate sources for use in data analysis, reporting, or feeding into a data warehouse.

This process can include different types of data, such as structured data from databases, semi-structured data like XML files, or unstructured data from logs or web pages. Successful data extraction ensures that the necessary information is collected and ready for the subsequent stages of data transformation and loading into a destination system, such as a data warehouse.

The other options describe different aspects of data management: transforming data refers to formatting data typically for visualization or analysis; storing data pertains to the logistics of saving data in a warehouse; and cleaning data involves improving data quality by removing errors or inconsistencies. However, these activities occur after the data has been extracted.