What process involves extracting raw data from sources, transforming it, and loading it into a target system for analysis?

The process that involves extracting raw data from various sources, transforming the data to ensure it is in a suitable format, and then loading it into a target system for analysis is known as extract, transform, load (ETL). This process is critical in data integration and plays a fundamental role in preparing data for analytics and reporting.

ETL is designed to facilitate the movement of data from disparate sources into a unified system, such as a data warehouse, where the data can be analyzed more effectively. The extraction phase pulls data from different systems, the transformation phase cleans and formats the data to ensure consistency and quality, and the loading phase places the data into a target database or system for further analysis.

In contrast to other options, data mining refers to the process of discovering patterns and knowledge from large amounts of data, typically after it has already been prepared and stored. Data warehousing specifically refers to the storage and management of the data that has been moved through the ETL process, focusing on how data is stored and accessed. Data processing is a broader term that can include various methods of handling data, including ETL, but does not specifically describe the structured approach to transferring data as ETL does.

By framing the question in terms of the distinct steps and