Database Reference
In-Depth Information
chapter 5
Creating a Data Warehouse
Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.
—Peter F. Drucker
When all the planning is done, it is time to create the data warehouse. SQL Server makes this task quite simple
and effortless.
In this chapter, we discuss how to use the SQL Server 2012 Management Studio (SSMS) application to create
a data warehouse. We look at several techniques to accomplish this, including SQL code, a table designer, and a
diagramming tool that lets you visually create all of the data warehouse objects. When you have completed this
chapter, you will have a working data warehouse that is ready to be filled with data.
SQL Server Management Studio
SQL Server Management Studio is one of the most important applications of Microsoft's SQL Server 2012. It
allows you to create and manage your databases as well as work with certain aspects of Microsoft's other BI
servers (SSIS, SSAS, and SSRS).
At the time of this writing, SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) has been newly released for SQL 2012. SSDT
adds many, but not all, of the features found in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to the Visual Studio envi-
ronment. It does not replace SSMS, and it does not replace the way databases are created. It does provide added
convenience to Visual Studio, but because this topic is about BI development rather than the new features of SQL
2012, we use SQL Server Management Studio for our examples. For more information about SSDT, visit the author's
website at http://NorthwestTech.org/ProBISolutions/SSDTDemos .
Note
To launch SQL Server Management Studio, navigate to Start All Programs Microsoft SQL Server 2012
menu item and click the title to expand the selection, as shown in Figure 5-1 . Then, right-click the SSMS menu item
and select Run as Administrator to open the SSMS application. It is important to run SQL Server BI applications as a
Windows administrator to avoid permission issues.
 
 
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