Patrick Sheehan of Microsoft covers platform architecture, data warehousing methodology, and multi-dimensional cube development.
You will learn:
* How to develop and deploy data cubes using SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)
* Optimal data warehouse methodology for use with SSAS
* Tips/tricks for designing & building cubes over no warehouse/suboptimal source system (it happens)
* Cube processing types - How/why to use each
* Cube design practices + How to build and deploy cubes!
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) - A Practical Introduction
1.
2. Silicon Valley SQL Server User Group
Tonight’s Agenda May 20, 2014
6:30 – 7:00 pm Food and Networking
7:00 – 7:10 pm Introductions
7:10 – 8:10 pm Patrick Sheehan, Microsoft
8:10 – 8:30 pm Discussion (Q&A)
3. Parent Organizations
Bay Area Association of Database Developers
BAADD www.baadd.org
Professional Association of SQL Server
PASS www.sqlpass.org
5. Upcoming Meetings
San Francisco – Thurs, June 5
Dimensional Modeling, The Basics &
Beyond
Dan Bulos, Symmetry
San Francisco – Wed, June 11
SQL Server Implementation
Frameworks From Dev to Prod
Prakash Heda, Advent Software
7. Patrick Sheehan
Data Platform Architect at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley
Technology Center (SVC MTC)
Previously with Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS)
as an engineer, architect, and enterprise strategist
Specialties:
SQL Server
Business Intelligence
Big Data
Enterprise & Solutions Architecture
Cloud Computing
9. What is Analysis Services?
• Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) engine
• Designed for data analysis, mining, and reporting
• Contains Databases
• Contains Cubes
• Cubes are multi-dimensional data sets
• Sourced from Facts
• Tables which contain measures
• …and Dimensions
• Tables which contain attributes
Reference: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb522625.aspx
10. Use Cases
• Data abstraction layer
• Ad hoc reporting
• Data mining
• Data warehousing
• Kimball Methodology recommended
16. Set up environment
• Move .mdf to SQL Server Data directory (e.g. C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL
ServerMSSQL11.SQL2012MSSQLDATA)
• Attach .mdf to instance
• NOTE: if error is received, it is due to missing log file. Click on the .ldf file
listed in the Attach Database dialogue box, then click Remove (a new log file will
automatically be created in the default path)
• Extract .sln from .zip
• Open solution and reset connection strings to local db instance
17. Solution structure
• Data Sources node
• Connection strings to source
• Data Source Views node
• XML abstraction layer
• Cubes node
• Define dim/fact relationships, aggregations (calculations), partitions, mode
• Dimensions node
• Contains dimensions
• Roles node
• Define access to cube
18. Cube fundamentals
• Measure groups
• Contain measures
• Set properties (e.g. formatting)
• Dimensions
• Contain attributes
• Set properties (e.g. visibility)
• Define relationships (to key & each other)
• Define hierarchies
• Deployment
• Processing
• Affects of FULL versus
19. Multi-dimensonal Expression Language (MDX)
Example
Syntax
[ WITH <SELECT WITH clause> [ , <SELECT WITH clause> ... ] ]
SELECT [ * | ( <SELECT query axis clause>
[ , <SELECT query axis clause> ... ] ) ]
FROM <SELECT subcube clause>
[ <SELECT slicer axis clause> ]
[ <SELECT cell property list clause> ]
SELECT NON EMPTY { [Measures].[Reseller Order Quantity],
[Measures].[Reseller Gross Profit], [Measures].[Reseller Sales
Amount] } ON COLUMNS, NON EMPTY { ([Product].[Product
Categories].[Product].ALLMEMBERS *
[Date].[Fiscal].[Date].ALLMEMBERS ) } DIMENSION PROPERTIES
MEMBER_CAPTION, MEMBER_UNIQUE_NAME ON ROWS
FROM [Adventure Works] CELL PROPERTIES VALUE,
BACK_COLOR, FORE_COLOR, FORMATTED_VALUE,
FORMAT_STRING, FONT_NAME, FONT_SIZE, FONT_FLAGS
Reference:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms145595.aspx
20. MDX “Heads up”
• MDX my look like T-SQL, but do not be fooled! It isn’t!
• MDX is a different way to think about data
• MDX is designed to provide tabular output from multidimensional sources
Reference:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms145506.aspx
Books:
MDX Solutions: With Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services 2005 and
Hyperion Essbase – George Spofford (&others)
The Data Warehouse Toolkit: The Definitive Guide to Dimensional Modeling
– Ralph Kimball
21. Working with Cubes
• Microsoft Excel is #1 app (>1billion worldwide deployments)
• Native integration with SSAS
• SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
• Native integration with SSAS
• Multidimensional Programming (see: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb500153.aspx)
• ADOMD.NET
• .NET provider for communication with SSAS (via XMLA)
• Analysis Services Scripting Language (ASSL)
• Extends XMLA
• Analysis Management Objects (AMO)
• SSAS management classes