Introduction
Elements of this syllabus are subject to change.
The purpose of this three day course is to teach business intelligence BI professionals working in enterprise environments how to design a multidimensional solution architecture that supports their BI solution. Students will go through the entire processfrom capturing business and technical requirements to deploying a multidimensional solution to production. Students will also be taught to develop custom functionality and optimize a multidimensional solution.
The course focuses on the planning and design aspects of an analysis solution and does not teach students how to create Analysis Services database objects or how to use the development tools provided with SQL Server 2005.
Audience
This course is intended for experienced BI professionals. The target students for this course already have an understanding of how to use SQL Server 2005 tools to implement Analysis Services functionality but need to develop their understanding of design principles and best practices when planning implementing and deploying an Analysis Services solution.
At Course Completion
After completing this course students will be able to
Capture the business and technical requirements for an analysis solution.
Design and implement a logical Online Analytical Processing OLAP solution architecture.
Design physical storage for a multidimensional solution.
Create calculated members and named sets.
Implement Key Performance Indicators KPIs actions and stored procedures.
Design the infrastructure for an OLAP solution.
Deploy and secure an Analysis Services solution in a production environment.
Monitor and optimize an Analysis Services solution.
Implement a data mining solution.
Prerequisites
Before attending this course students must
Have handson experience with database development tasks. For example
Creating TransactSQL queries
Writing and optimizing advanced queries for example queries that contain complex joins or subqueries
Creating database objects such as tables views and indexes
Have foundational conceptual understanding of data warehousing data marts and business intelligence. Students must be well versed on the subjects of data warehousing data marts and BI and preferably have read at least one book by Ralph Kimball or Bill Inmon.
Have a conceptual understanding of OLAP technologies multidimensional data MDX and relational database modeling. For example know what facts dimensions measures calculated measures and foreign keys are.
Be familiar with SQL Server 2005 features tools and technologies. In particular they must have built and queried an Analysis Services cube.
Have foundational understanding of Microsoft Windows security. For example how groups delegation of credentials and impersonation function in a security context.
Have foundational understanding of Webbased architecture. For example SSL SOAP and IISwhat they are and what their role is.
Must understand the difference between replication and ETL.
Already know how to use
Microsoft Office Visio
Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio
Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio
Performance Monitor
Microsoft SQL Server Profiler
Course Outline
Module 1 Capturing Business and Technical Requirements
In this module students will first learn about key design principles that they should consider when defining the scope of a BI project. They will then learn how to identify the business and technical requirements to ensure that their solution meets the needs of its users.
Lessons
Planning an Analysis Solution
Identifying Requirements and Constraints
Lab 1 Capturing Business and Technical Requirements
Reviewing Solution Requirements
Identifying Further Information Requirements
Module 2 Designing and Implementing a Logical OLAP Solution Architecture
This module describes considerations and guidelines for designing an OLAP solution including a relational data warehouse and an Analysis Services cube.
Lessons
Planning an OLAP Solution
Designing and Implementing Fact and Dimension Tables
Designing and Implementing Cubes
Lab 2 Designing and Implementing an OLAP Solution
Designing and Implementing a Relational Database Schema
Designing and Implementing a Cube
Designing and Implementing Perspectives
Module 3 Designing Physical Storage for a Multidimensional Solution
In this module students will learn how to design an effective physical storage solution for a multidimensional application.
Lessons
Designing Physical Storage
Partitioning Relational Data
Partitioning Multidimensional Data
Lab 3 Designing and Implementing Physical Storage
Designing and Implementing a Storage Solution
Designing and Implementing Relational Partitioning
Designing and Implementing Multidimensional Partitioning
Testing the Solution
Module 4 Creating Calculations
In this module students will learn how to create Multidimensional Expression MDX calculations. The module describes how to create calculated members named sets and scoped assignments.
Lessons
Implementing Calculated Members
Implementing Named Sets
Implementing Scoped MDX Scripts
Lab 4 Implementing Calculations
Creating Calculated Members
Creating Named Sets
Creating a Scoped MDX Script
Module 5 Extending Cube Functionality
In this module students will learn about the benefits of KPIs actions and stored procedures. They will also learn how to implement KPIs actions and stored procedures in an Analysis Services cube.
Lessons
Key Performance Indicators
Actions
Stored Procedures
Lab 5 Implementing Advanced Functionality
Creating KPIs
Creating Actions
Creating Stored Procedures
Module 6 Designing an Analysis Services Infrastructure
In this module students will learn how to design an appropriate infrastructure for an OLAP application.
Lessons
Considerations for Analysis Services Resource Requirements
Considerations for Analysis Services Scalability
Considerations for Analysis Services Availability
Lab 6 Designing and Implementing Analysis Services Infrastructure
Planning Production System Infrastructure
Installing Analysis Services in a Cluster
Module 7 Deploying a Multidimensional Solution into Production
In this module students will learn about and compare the different deployment methods available in SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services. They will also learn about how security in Analysis Services functions and how to protect their companys critical business information.
Lessons
Deploying an Analysis Services Database
Managing Analysis Services Security
Lab 7 Deploying Analysis Services into Production
Deploying an Analysis Services Database
Enabling User Access
Module 8 Optimizing an OLAP Solution
In this module students will learn how to monitor Analysis Services and how to optimize performance of their Analysis Services solutions.
Lessons
Monitoring Analysis Services
Optimizing Performance
Lab 8 Optimizing Analysis Services
Monitoring Analysis Services
Optimizing Queries
Module 9 Implementing Data Mining
In this module students will learn what a data mining solution is and how to design and implement data mining functionality with SQL Server Analysis Services.
Lessons
Introduction to Data Mining
Implementing a Data Mining Solution
Using Data Mining in a BI Solution
Lab 9 Implementing Data Mining
Creating a Data Mining Structure
Validating a Data Mining Structure