# Data Architectures

While the use of SNOMED CT for analytics does not dictate a particular data architecture, there are a few key options to consider. In this section, we describe the major categories of data architecture that may be used to perform analytics over SNOMED CT enabled patient data, including:

1. Analytics directly over patient records;
2. Analytics over data exported to a data warehouse;
3. Analytics over a Virtual Health Record (VHR);
4. Analytics using distributed storage and processing.

Please note that some of these approaches may be used in combination. For example, data warehouses with large volumes of data may use distributed storage and processing for enhanced performance, and querying directly over disparate patient records could be performed using a Virtual Health Record.

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