Book Image

Tabular Modeling with SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services Cookbook

By : Derek Wilson
Book Image

Tabular Modeling with SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services Cookbook

By: Derek Wilson

Overview of this book

SQL Server Analysis Service (SSAS) has been widely used across multiple businesses to build smart online analytical reporting solutions. It includes two different types of modeling for analysis services: Tabular and Multi Dimensional. This book covers Tabular modeling, which uses tables and relationships with a fast in-memory engine to provide state of the art compression algorithms and query performance. The book begins by quickly taking you through the concepts required to model tabular data and set up the necessary tools and services. As you learn to create tabular models using tools such as Excel and Power View, you’ll be shown various strategies to deploy your model on the server and choose a query mode (In-memory or DirectQuery) that best suits your reporting needs. You’ll also learn how to implement key and newly introduced DAX functions to create calculated columns and measures for your model data. Last but not least, you’ll be shown techniques that will help you administer and secure your BI implementation along with some widely used tips and tricks to optimize your reporting solution. By the end of this book, you’ll have gained hands-on experience with the powerful new features that have been added to Tabular models in SSAS 2016 and you’ll be able to improve user satisfaction with faster reports and analytical queries.
Table of Contents (18 chapters)
Tabular Modeling with SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services Cookbook
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
Customer Feedback
Preface

Installing and configuring a development environment


Getting ready

Create a virtual machine running Windows Server 2012 R2 with important updates installed. You can download and install SQL Server Developer Edition for free from Microsoft. Also, make sure you have an account set up with administrative privileges that you will use for the installation and configuration of SQL Server 2016 tabular mode. In my examples, I have a user named Admin set up as a local administrator.

How to do it...

  1. Launch SQL Server Developer Edition from your virtual machine drive to begin the installation process in the SQL Server Installation Center window.

  2. Select Installation to bring up the options for installing components. Then choose New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation.

  3. The next screen is where you enter your product key if you have one. Since we are using the developer edition, no product key is needed. Click Next.

  4. Next you need to review and accept the license...