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 SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)


Once Visual Studio is installed the next step is to add SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT). SSDT is the environment that you will use to create your tabular model. You will use it to import your data, design your model, add DAX calculations, and finally deploy your model to the server.

Getting ready

Once Visual Studio is installed, you can now install the remaining pieces of SSDT. This recipe shows the steps required to install the templates for Analysis Services, Reporting Services, and Integration Services.

How to do it...

  1. From the SQL Server installation disk, select the installation tab and then click on Install SQL Server Data Tools to open a web browser with the link to download the software.

  2. Select Download SQL Server Data Tools for Visual Studio 2015! and save the file. On the next screen select your language to install and run the SSDTSetup.exe program.

  3. On the next window you can select which features of SSDT to install. In this case, keep them all...