Method and apparatus for optimizing a data access customer service system

1. A method of detecting fraud and/or unauthorized database access comprising the steps of:

providing at least one database accessible by at least one user;

maintaining a log of usage patterns of a particular user generated by monitoring said usage patterns of said user, said usage patterns including patterns of accessing a database by said user,

if said usage patterns including patterns of accessing said database change to a specified degree, determining that an alert should be issued indicating possible fraudulent conduct, and recording same in an electronic memory, and

wherein the specified degree includes not accessing a database within a predetermined time of logging in, which database is normally accessed within said predetermined time.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising

using said log of usage patterns to generate a usage profile.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein

said usage profile is used to identify areas of knowledge in which a user is likely to be interested, and providing messages regarding said areas of knowledge to a user upon login.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein

said particular user is defined as any user in a particular role.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein

said particular user is any user in a particular group.

6. A method for enhancing the efficiency of a data warehouse system by utilizing a usage profile of a user, said method comprising:

providing said data warehousing system comprising at least one type of database;

generating said usage profile by monitoring usage patterns of said user, said usage patterns including patterns of accessing a database of said data warehousing system by said user,

determining, from said usage profile, a first set of information to which said user should have access within said data warehousing system, and for sending said user said information automatically,

determining, from said usage profile, a second set of information to which said user should not have access within said data warehousing system, and for reporting a security violation if said user accesses said second set of information and delaying a particular database query if it is determined that an inconsistent access is scheduled to occur within a predetermined time until after said inconsistent access.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein

said user represents everyone in a particular role.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein

said user represents a predetermined group of users.