Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 2. Defining Analysis Services
Dimensions
In this chapter, we will cover the following recipes:
• Defining data sources
• Defining data source views
• Defining entity relationships in DSV
• Extending data source views
• Creating named calculations and queries
• Creating simple dimensions
• Building dimension hierarchies
• Setting up dimension properties
• Setting up the essential attribute properties
• Browsing dimension data
• Sorting the attributes
• Customizing advanced attribute properties
• Creating parent-child dimensions
• Creating date and time dimensions
Introduction
This chapter explains how to build and configure most commonly encountered
SQL
Server Analysis Services
(
SSAS
) dimensions. Each Analysis Services multidimen-
sional project consists of dimensions and cubes; knowing how to define and cus-
tomize dimensions is essential for building successful business intelligence solutions.
Analysis Services builds data structures based on one or multiple relational data
sources. Therefore, before creating dimensions and cubes, you need to define data
sources and their corresponding data source views—layers of abstraction between
the relational database and Analysis Services objects. After you define data source
views, you can create simple dimensions using a dimension wizard and subsequently
customize and enhance dimensions as needed using a dimension editor.
SQL Server Data Tools
(
SSDT
) is the primary client tool for developing Analysis Ser-
vices solutions. In prior versions of SQL Server, the same tool was called
Business
Intelligence Development Studio
(
BIDS
). To open SSDT navigate to
Start
|
All Pro-
Search WWH ::
Custom Search