Book Image

SQL Server Analysis Services 2012 Cube Development Cookbook

Book Image

SQL Server Analysis Services 2012 Cube Development Cookbook

Overview of this book

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system. As a database, it is a software product whose primary function is to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications. SQL Server Analysis Services adds OLAP and data mining capabilities for SQL Server databases. OLAP (online analytical processing) is a technique for analyzing business data for effective business intelligence. This practical guide teaches you how to build business intelligence solutions using Microsoft’s core product – SQL Server Analysis Services. The book covers the traditional multi-dimensional model which has been around for over a decade as well as the tabular model introduced with SQL Server 2012. Starting with comparing MultiDimensional and tabular models – discussing the values and limitations of each, you will then cover the essential techniques for building dimensions and cubes. Following on from this, you will be introduced to more advanced topics, such as designing partitions and aggregations, implementing security, and synchronizing databases for solutions serving many users. The book also covers administrative material, such as database backups, server configuration options, and monitoring and tuning performance. We also provide a primer on MultiDimensional eXpressions (MDX) as well as Data Analysis expressions (DAX) languages. This book provides you with data cube development techniques, and also the ongoing monitoring and tuning for Analysis Services.
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
SQL Server Analysis Services 2012 Cube Development Cookbook
Credits
About the Authors
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Creating parent-child dimensions


Business models often include entities that have a large number of levels. If you work for a large corporation, you don't have to think very long to come up with an example of a drawn-out hierarchy, simply refer to your organizational chart. You're likely to have entry-level employees who report to first-level managers, who in turn report to several other levels of managers, followed by directors, senior directors, vice presidents, and so on. The exact titles and number of levels in the food chain might vary, but you get the idea. Such structures are by no means limited to human resources; many organizations could have buildings that roll up to facilities that in turn roll up to networks and so on. The main challenge is that of modeling the large and unpredictable number of levels in a single dimension. If the number of levels in a hierarchy varies, the object is known as a ragged hierarchy. For example, in a given enterprise, there might be five levels of...