SQL Server Analysis Services 2012 Cube Development Cookbook - Tapa blanda

If you prefer the instructional approach to a lot of theory, this cookbook is for you. It takes you straight into building data cubes through hands-on recipes, helping you get to grips with SQL Server Analysis Services fast.

Overview

• Develop Business Intelligence solutions using a multi-dimensional model as well as a tabular model
• Explore cube maintenance with partitions and design effective aggregations, as well as analyzing options for scaling analytics solutions
• Includes recipes for administering, securing, monitoring, and troubleshooting Analysis Services solutions

In Detail

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.

What you will learn from this book

• Design commonly encountered dimensions
• Extend your cubes to include advanced features such as actions, translations, and key performance indicators
• Maintain cubes by adding/removing data using partitions
• Administer Analysis Services instance
• Scale out your solution by synchronizing cube data
• Build tabular model solutions

Approach

A practical cookbook packed with recipes to help developers produce data cubes as quickly as possible by following step by step instructions, rather than explaining data mining concepts with SSAS.

Who this book is written for

If you are a BI or ETL developer using SQL Server Analysis services to build OLAP cubes, this book is ideal for you. Prior knowledge of relational databases and experience with Excel as well as SQL development is required.

Baya Dewald has been working with Microsoft SQL Server for over 15 years and with Analysis Services since its debut in 1999. He has architected, developed, and administered databases with millions of users and cubes measured in terabytes. Throughout his career, he has held various certifications, including Microsoft Certified Solution Developer, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, and Microsoft Certified Database Administrator. He has managed DBA teams and published over 100 technical articles in SQL Server Magazine, SQL Professional, Tech Target, and InformIT. He has also contributed to several technical books as a co-author and technical reviewer. He can be reached at baya.dewald@gmail.com. Steve Hughes is a Practice Lead at Magenic. In his current role, he develops strategy and helps guide data, business intelligence, collaboration, and data integration development using Microsoft technologies, including SQL Server, SharePoint, and BizTalk. He continues to deliver data and business intelligence solutions using these platforms. He has been working with technology for over 15 years with much of that time spent on creating business intelligence solutions. He is passionate about using data effectively and helping customers understand that data is valuable and profitable. He also has experience working with a large software company as a service vendor and there received awards for customer satisfaction and engineering excellence. In 2010, he received the Consultant of the Year honor at Magenic. He has delivered multiple presentations on SQL server, data architecture, and business intelligence over the years. Steve can often be found at Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) events where he serves as a regional mentor and is active with the Minnesota SQL Server User Group (MNPASS). He shares his insights from the field on his blog at http://dataonwheels.wordpress.com. Paul Turley is a mentor with SolidQ and is a Microsoft SQL Server MVP. He consults, writes, speaks, teaches, and blogs about business intelligence and reporting solutions. He works with companies around the world to visualize and deliver critical information to make informed business decisions. He is the director of the Oregon SQL PASS chapter and user group, and the lead author of Professional SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services and 11 other books by Wrox and Microsoft Press. Paul blogs at SqlServerBiBlog.com.