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Tables of Contents for A Practical Guide to the Microsoft Olap Server
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Preface
xiii
Part I Basics
1
84
OLAP Concepts
3
28
Five Characteristics of OLAP
7
2
OLAP Applications
9
2
Decision Support
11
12
Decision Support versus Transaction Processing
14
4
Decision Support and the Data Warehouse
18
3
Datamarts and Data Warehouses
21
2
Key OLAP Concepts
23
4
Measures
23
1
Dimensions
24
1
Hierarchies and Aggregation
24
1
Multidimensional Cubes
25
2
Components of an OLAP Application
27
4
Data Acquisition
27
3
Data Structuring and Storage
30
1
Multimensional Analysis
30
1
OLAP History and Trends
31
34
The OLAP Story
31
6
The First Generation
31
2
The Second Generation
33
1
The Third Generation
34
3
The Little Engine That Could
37
1
Plato
38
2
OLAP Standards
40
2
The OLAP Council
40
2
OLE DB for OLAP and MDX
42
1
OLAP Solutions
42
18
Intended Function and Audience
43
2
Data Acquisition and Storage
45
6
End-user Client Model
51
3
Visualization
54
2
Time Intelligence
56
1
Open Environment
57
2
Automation
59
1
OLAP Trends
60
5
Analysis at Large
60
1
Integration
61
1
Packaged Applications
61
1
Cutting Data Clutter
62
3
Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server OLAP Services
65
20
The Enterprise Picture
65
2
OLAP Services Functionality
67
1
OLAP Services Architecture
68
13
System Components
68
3
Open and Extensible Environment
71
3
Data Acquisition
74
1
Read/Write Data Access
75
1
Multidimensional Storage Options
75
5
Time Intelligence
80
1
OLAP Services Security
81
1
OLAP Manager Architecture
81
1
SQL Server 7 Software Versions
82
1
Benefits of OLAP Services
83
2
Part II Implementation: Planning, Analysis, and Design
85
118
Planning the OLAP Project
87
38
Project Planning Steps
88
1
Defining Project Goals
89
2
Decomposing the Task List
91
10
Identifying Resources
101
8
Staff Resources
101
5
Nonstaff Resources
106
3
Estimating the Schedule
109
2
Estimating the Budget
111
2
Assessing the Risks
113
3
Money
114
1
Time
114
1
Unknowns
115
1
Dependencies
115
1
Assumptions
116
1
Conducting a Final Review
116
1
The Plan in Action
116
2
Project Planning Tools
118
1
OLAP in the Self-actualized Enterprise
119
3
Assessing the State of Your Enterprise
122
3
OLAP Systems Analysis
125
40
The Analytical Process
127
1
The Analytical Spirit
128
1
Perspectives of Information Providers and Users
128
3
Information-Collecting Interviews
131
6
Strategic and Planning Executive Interviews
132
2
Business Perspective Interviews
134
1
Technical Perspective Interviews
135
2
Reviewing Current Systems
137
1
Source Data Analysis
138
22
Host Platform and Data Accessibility
139
1
Scope and Variance of Source Data
139
4
Analysis of Data Quality
143
5
Measures Analysis
148
1
Dimensional Analysis
149
5
Relational Analysis
154
1
Physical Examination
155
5
Recording Metadata
160
1
Conducting a Final Review
161
3
Roadblocks
161
1
Bottlenecks
162
1
Black Holes
162
1
Miracles
163
1
Redundancies
163
1
Refocusing on Goals
164
1
Designing Your OLAP Services Solution
165
38
The Solution Proposal
167
2
Database Design
169
8
The Subject of Analysis
170
1
The Measures
170
1
The Dimensions
171
1
The Star and Snowflake Schemas
171
5
Schema Complexities
176
1
Source Data Transformations
177
7
Data Transport Architecture
178
2
Data Element Mappings and Transformation Rules
180
1
Extraction and Transformation Processing Tools
181
1
Quality Control
182
2
Cubes and Cube Processing
184
3
System Security
187
10
A Basic User Security Scheme
189
5
Beyond Basic Security
194
1
Physical Security
195
2
End-user Access
197
3
Custom Components
200
2
Design Review
202
1
Part III Implementation: Construction, Release, and Support
203
106
Installing OLAP Services
205
14
Minimum Requirements
205
2
User Accounts
207
1
Final Prep for Installation
208
1
Performing the Installation
209
2
Verifying the Setup
211
3
Client and Database Drivers
214
1
Administrator Accounts
215
1
Registering OLAP Servers
215
1
Migrating the Repository to SQL Server
216
1
OLAP Manager Add-ins and Function Libraries
217
2
Building the OLAP Database
219
18
Quick Guide to OLAP Manager
219
2
Creating the Database
221
1
Creating Data Sources
221
1
Creating Dimensions
222
4
Standard Dimension
223
1
Time Dimension
224
2
Creating Cubes
226
2
Calculated Members
228
2
Design Storage Options
230
2
Database Roles and Read/Write Permissions
232
1
Aggregation Functions
233
1
Processing Cubes
234
3
Using Excel as an OLAP Client
237
26
How Excel Works with OLAP Data
237
2
Data Drivers and MS Query
239
1
Data Sources
239
2
PivotTables
241
7
Introduction to PivotTables
241
3
Creating OLAP PivotTable Reports
244
1
Working with PivotTables
245
3
PivotCharts
248
3
Basics of PivotCharts
248
2
Working with PivotCharts
250
1
Offine Cube Files
251
1
Creating OLAP Cubes from Relational Data
252
4
Overview of Creating Cubes
252
1
Creating an MS Query on Relational Data
253
2
Running the OLAP Cube Wizard
255
1
OLAP and Excel on the Web
256
5
Overview of Office and Excel Web Functionality
256
1
Noninteractive Web Reports
257
2
Interactive PivotLists
259
1
Interactive PivotCharts
260
1
Preparing to Implement Excel as Your OLAP Client
261
2
Minimum Requirements
261
1
Creating a Shared Folder for Data Sources
262
1
Managing the OLAP Application
263
20
Administrative Duties
263
2
Scheduled Administrative Functions
264
1
Unscheduled Administrative Functions
265
1
Documentation and Metadata
265
4
Administrator's Guide
266
1
User's Guide
266
2
Metadata
268
1
Training
269
2
Administrative and Technical Training
269
1
End-user Training
270
1
User Support
271
1
Refreshing Cube Data
272
3
Incremental Update Processing
273
1
Refresh Cube Processing
274
1
Cube Usage Analysis and Optimization
275
4
The Query Log
275
1
Usage Analysis Wizard
276
1
Usage-Based Optimization Wizard
277
2
Write-back Data Maintenance
279
2
Refinements and Additions
281
2
Third-Party OLAP Clients
283
26
Overview
283
1
Excel Add-ins
284
2
Dedicated Fat Clients
286
4
Internet Solutions
290
3
Managed Query and Reporting Tools
293
2
Vertical-Market and Value-Added Solutions
295
3
Software Developer Kits
298
2
Client Selection Process
300
9
Establishing Selection Criteria
300
3
Selecting Product Category
303
1
Conducting Product Search
303
2
Hands-on Product Evaluation
305
4
Part IV Beyond the Basics
309
76
Multidimensional Expressions
311
40
Overview of MDX
311
1
How MDX Is Applied
312
1
MDX Sample Application
313
2
Learn Your Way Around the Cube
315
2
Dimensional Structure and Family Relationships
315
1
Member and Tuple References
316
1
Set References
317
1
Basic Selects
317
7
Cube Specifications
318
1
Axes Specifications
319
1
Slicer Specifications
320
4
MDX Functions
324
13
Member Functions
325
5
Set Functions
330
7
Advanced Selects
337
12
Nested Dimensions: Tuples and Crossjoins
337
2
Multiple Measures
339
1
Calculated Members
340
4
Numeric Functions in Parameters
344
1
Handling Empty Values
345
2
Filtering Datasets
347
2
Where to Go from Here
349
2
Advanced Application Techniques
351
34
Member Properties and Virtual Dimensions
352
7
Managing Member Properties
355
2
Managing Virtual Dimensions
357
1
Creating a Dual-axes Dimension View
357
2
Virtual Cubes
359
3
Managing Virtual Cubes
360
1
Joining Fact Tables
361
1
Data Partitioning
362
4
Creating Partitions
364
1
Merging Partitions
365
1
Cell-level Security
366
7
Permission Rules
367
3
Setting Cell-level Permission Rules
370
3
Time as an Analysis Factor
373
8
Period Comparisons
374
1
Rolling Period Ratios
375
3
Moving Averages
378
1
Alternate Time Dimension Hierarchies
378
1
Breaking the Time Dimension in Two
379
1
Multiple Time Dimensions in a Cube
380
1
Contribution Percentages
381
1
Real-time Data Feeds
381
4
Appendix
385
4
Bibliography
389
4
Glossary
393
2
Index
395