Chapter 2. SQL Server Analysis Services Multidimensional Cube Development

In the previous chapter, you learned how to design a data warehouse. In this chapter, you will learn how to create an OnLine Analytical Processing (OLAP) cube with the help of Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) from an existing data warehouse. OLAP means loading data from a data warehouse into a file structure that makes it much faster to access measures in different granular levels. OLAP cubes also provide much better navigation through hierarchical structures, and slicing and dicing becomes much easier.

In this chapter, you will understand how to develop SSAS cubes and how to create hierarchies and calculated measures. MDX, which is the query and calculation language of SSAS Multidimensional, will be introduced. You will also read about the deployment of OLAP cubes on the server and the processing of cubes to get data loaded into the OLAP structure. Creating an OLAP cube is an important step in a BI system because it will provide the just mentioned benefits.