Pro SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services (Expert's Voice in SQL Server)

481 Pages·2010·14.46 MB·English

by  Philo Janus

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BOOKS FOR PROFESSIONALS BY PROFESSIONALS® THE EXPERT’S VOICE® IN SQL SERVER
Companion
eBook Available
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Pro SQL Server 2008 Analysis
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Dear Reader,
Q
SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) is a powerful online analytical processing (OLAP)
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and data-mining environment included with Microsoft’s database platform. Pro SQL Pro

Server 2008 Analysis Services is your guide to using Analysis Services along with SQL S
Server to deliver effective business intelligence (BI) solutions. We show how to create
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data source views, build and deploy a cube for analysis, and mine your data for busi-
ness insight, and ultimately for profit. r
Our desire is to pave your path to success by sharing our experience. We show v SQL Server 2008
how SQL Server professionals use SSAS to address and solve real-world challenges e
every day. We discuss SSAS features in detail, including the enhanced Cube and r
Dimension Designers. For administrators, we discuss several areas in server man-
2
agement. These include cube processing and processing options, the Performance
Monitor, scheduling, and security. 0
Business intelligence solutions require metrics. To deliver metrics to your users, Analysis Services
0
you will learn how to define, create, and use key performance indicators (KPIs), cal-
8
culated members, perspectives, and actions. Data mining with SSAS enables you
to create predictions based on trends in historical data stores of virtually any size.
A
SQL Server Analysis Services and Microsoft Office 2010 are now tightly integrat-
ed to enable self-service business intelligence capabilities across the enterprise. n
PowerPivot is a new set of technologies that give end users the tools needed to per- a
form complex analysis and data mining at their workspace. We introduce you to
l
PowerPivot, helping you get started with this new and important tool. y
We believe you will gain valuable experience with SQL Server Analysis Services, s
as well as insights into developing BI solutions, by applying the methods demon-
i
strated throughout this book. s

Philo Janus & Guy Fouché S Create value and competitive advantage through
Companion eBook
e careful mining and analysis of your company’s
THE APRESS ROADMAP r business data
v
Beginning
SQL Server 2008 Pro SQL Server i
2008 Analytics c
See last page for details for Developers Pro
on $10 eBook version SQL Server 2008 e
Analysis Services
Accelerated Pro s
SQL Server 2008
SQL Server 2008
Reporting Services
Philo Janus Guy Fouché
SOURCE CODE ONLINE F and
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www.apress.com ISBN 978-1-4302-1995-8 ua
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54499 hu
US $44.99 és

Shelve in:
Database / SQL Server
User level:
Intermediate–Advanced 9 781430 219958
this print for content only—size & color not accurate 7.5 x 9.25 spine = 0.90625" 480 page count

Pro SQL Server 2008
Analysis Services

(cid:132) (cid:132) (cid:132)
Philo Janus
Guy Fouché
Pro SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services
Copyright © 2010 by Philo Janus and Guy Fouché
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To Jodi Fouché: For her poetry, being my biggest fan, and unequivocal love
—Guy Fouché
(cid:132) CONTENTS
Contents at a Glance
(cid:132) Contents..................................................................................................................v
(cid:132) About the Authors................................................................................................xiv
(cid:132) About the Technical Reviewers............................................................................xv
(cid:132) Acknowledgments...............................................................................................xvi
(cid:132) Introduction........................................................................................................xvii
(cid:132) Chapter 1: Introduction to OLAP.............................................................................1
(cid:132) Chapter 2: Cubes, Dimensions, and Measures.....................................................15
(cid:132) Chapter 3: SQL Server Analysis Services..............................................................41
(cid:132) Chapter 4: SSAS Developer and Admin Interfaces...............................................75
(cid:132) Chapter 5: Creating a Data Source View...............................................................97
(cid:132) Chapter 6: Creating Dimensions.........................................................................117
(cid:132) Chapter 7: Building a Cube.................................................................................167
(cid:132) Chapter 8: Deploying and Processing.................................................................195
(cid:132) Chapter 9: MDX...................................................................................................219
(cid:132) Chapter 10: Cube Features.................................................................................251
(cid:132) Chapter 11: Data Mining.....................................................................................275
(cid:132) Chapter 12: PowerPivot......................................................................................311
(cid:132) Chapter 13: Administration.................................................................................333
(cid:132) Chapter 14: User Interfaces................................................................................373
(cid:132) Appendix A: Setting Up Adventure Works...........................................................431
(cid:132) Appendix B: Data-Mining Resources..................................................................435
(cid:132) Index...................................................................................................................437
iv
(cid:132) CONTENTS
Contents
(cid:132) Contents at a Glance..............................................................................................iv
(cid:132) Contents..................................................................................................................v
(cid:132) About the Authors................................................................................................xiv
(cid:132) About the Technical Reviewers............................................................................xv
(cid:132) Acknowledgments...............................................................................................xvi
(cid:132) Introduction........................................................................................................xvii
(cid:132) Chapter 1: Introduction to OLAP.............................................................................1
From Pivot Tables to Dimensional Processing...................................................................2
Data Warehousing.............................................................................................................4
Applications of OLAP..........................................................................................................5
History of OLAP..................................................................................................................7
SQL Server Analysis Services............................................................................................8
Data Mining.....................................................................................................................13
Summary.........................................................................................................................14
(cid:132) Chapter 2: Cubes, Dimensions, and Measures.....................................................15
Cubes and Their Components..........................................................................................15
Defining Measures and Dimensions................................................................................18
Schemas.................................................................................................................................................18
Dimensions in Depth...............................................................................................................................20
Measures................................................................................................................................................27
Types of Aggregation..............................................................................................................................31
v
(cid:132) CONTENTS
Writeback...............................................................................................................................................32
Calculated Measures..............................................................................................................................33
Actions.............................................................................................................................34
XMLA................................................................................................................................35
Multidimensional Expressions (MDX)..............................................................................36
Data Warehouses.............................................................................................................37
Storage............................................................................................................................38
Staging Databases..................................................................................................................................38
Storage Modes.......................................................................................................................................38
Summary.........................................................................................................................39
(cid:132) Chapter 3: SQL Server Analysis Services..............................................................41
Requirements..................................................................................................................41
Hardware................................................................................................................................................41
Virtualization...........................................................................................................................................43
Software.................................................................................................................................................44
Upgrading...............................................................................................................................................44
Standard or Enterprise Edition?..............................................................................................................44
Architecture.....................................................................................................................46
The Unified Dimensional Model..............................................................................................................46
Logical Architecture................................................................................................................................49
Physical Architecture..............................................................................................................................52
Storage...................................................................................................................................................54
Cube Structures in SSAS.................................................................................................59
Data Sources..........................................................................................................................................61
Data Source View...................................................................................................................................61
The Cube Structure Itself........................................................................................................................63
Dimensions.............................................................................................................................................64
Mining Structures...................................................................................................................................65
vi
(cid:132) CONTENTS
What’s New in SQL Server 2008......................................................................................65
Performance...........................................................................................................................................65
Tools.......................................................................................................................................................69
Summary.........................................................................................................................73
(cid:132) Chapter 4: SSAS Developer and Admin Interfaces...............................................75
Business Intelligence Development Studio......................................................................75
BIDS Is Visual Studio?............................................................................................................................75
Panes......................................................................................................................................................76
Solution Explorer....................................................................................................................................79
Properties Pane......................................................................................................................................80
Creating or Editing a Database Solution.................................................................................................82
SQL Server Management Studio......................................................................................86
Managing Analysis Services...................................................................................................................87
Executing MDX Queries..........................................................................................................................91
PowerShell.......................................................................................................................92
A Convincing Example............................................................................................................................93
PowerShell for SQL Server.....................................................................................................................93
PowerShell with SSAS............................................................................................................................94
Summary.........................................................................................................................95
(cid:132) Chapter 5: Creating a Data Source View...............................................................97
Cubes Need Data.............................................................................................................97
Data Sources...................................................................................................................98
Data Source Views.........................................................................................................105
Designer Tour.......................................................................................................................................105
Named Calculations and Queries..........................................................................................................110
Summary.......................................................................................................................116
vii
(cid:132) CONTENTS
(cid:132) Chapter 6: Creating Dimensions.........................................................................117
Dimensional Analysis.....................................................................................................117
Review of the Dimension Concept........................................................................................................118
Star or Snowflake?...............................................................................................................................119
Dimensions in SSAS......................................................................................................127
Creating a Dimension...........................................................................................................................127
Analysis Management Objects (AMO) Warnings...................................................................................135
Dimension Properties...........................................................................................................................136
Attributes.......................................................................................................................148
Attribute Relationships.........................................................................................................................150
Attribute Properties..............................................................................................................................156
Parent-Child Dimensions...............................................................................................157
The Time Dimension......................................................................................................159
Summary.......................................................................................................................166
(cid:132) Chapter 7: Building a Cube.................................................................................167
Dimensions and Cubes..................................................................................................169
Creating Cubes.....................................................................................................................................170
Using Measure Group Tables................................................................................................................170
Selecting Dimensions...........................................................................................................................173
Defining Dimension Usage...................................................................................................................179
Measures and Measure Groups.....................................................................................182
Measures..............................................................................................................................................182
Measure Groups...................................................................................................................................184
Calculated Measures............................................................................................................................185
Summary.......................................................................................................................193
(cid:132) Chapter 8: Deploying and Processing.................................................................195
Deploying a Project........................................................................................................195
Project Properties.................................................................................................................................195
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