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

MDX script's functionality


You already saw a couple of examples for defining calculated measures in the MDX script found on the Calculations tab within SSDT. Some MDX functionality applies only within the MDX script and not in queries. For example, you could define the calculation scope so that it only applies to certain hierarchy members. You can also use the ROOT function to refer to the topmost level of the hierarchy. The ROOT function isn't specific to the MDX script, but it is most commonly used in cube-level calculations.

The MDX script is evaluated when you first deploy the solution and anytime you change calculations; it doesn't require processing any objects (dimensions or partitions), but it could overwrite the existing cube values. Full discussion on how MDX scripts work is beyond the scope of this book. The examples in this section demonstrate how MDX-script-specific functions change the calculated values of the cube.

How to do it...

Let's get started with MDX script's functionality...