Hidden behind all the OLAP acronyms and terminology, discussions of cubes, dimensions, measures, analysis, business intelligence and ad hoc queries you'll find simplicity and familiarity in the form of a SQL Server database and SQL (or in the case of multi-dimMDX, SQL-like) statements to query that database. Do you already use OLAP in your workplace? Did this article help you break through the terminology barrier? Let us know in the Database discussion forum on DevX.
Get a preview of the upcoming SQL Server 2005's Business Intelligence suite and find out about the major OLAP components of Analysis Services.
by Gail Tieh Monaco
June 25, 2004
f you're a database developer, you've no doubt heard of On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) and the advantages of analysis using multi-dimensional, pre-aggregated data. Maybe you've even thought about creating your own multidimensional cubes to give your end users true ad hoc capabilities, including the creation of calculated measures/KPIs. If you've relegated that task to the back burner because it was too complex, you'll be happy to know that SQL 2005 has made the process easier.
This article discusses the major OLAP components of Analysis Services, all of which can be implemented by even a first-time cube builder. A follow up article by Mark Frawley will examine the differences between Analysis Services in SQL 2000 and SQL 2005.
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f you're a database developer, you've no doubt heard of On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) and the advantages of analysis using multi-dimensional, pre-aggregated data. Maybe you've even thought about creating your own multidimensional cubes to give your end users true ad hoc capabilities, including the creation of calculated measures/KPIs. If you've relegated that task to the back burner because it was too complex, you'll be happy to know that SQL 2005 has made the process easier.
