A transparent partition allows users to manipulate data that is stored remotely as if it were part of the local database. The remote data is retrieved from the data source each time that users at the data target request it. Users do not need to know where the data is stored, because they see it as part of their local database.
Because data is retrieved directly from the data source, users see the latest version. When they update the data, their updates are written back to the data source. This process means that other users at the data source and the data target have immediate access to those updates.
With a transparent partition, users at the data source and at the data target may notice slower performance as more users access the source data.
For example, the DBA at TBC can use a transparent partition to calculate each member of the Scenario dimension on a separate computer. This process reduces the elapsed time for the calculation while providing users with the same view of the data. See Case Study 1: Partitioning an Existing Database.
Use a transparent partition to achieve the following goals:
Show users the latest version of the data
Allow users at the data target to update data
Decrease disk space