Designing an Analysis Solution Architecture Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services

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 process-from 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 hands-on experience with database development tasks. For example:
Creating Transact-SQL 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 Web-based architecture. For example, SSL, SOAP, and IIS-what 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

After completing this module, students will be able to:
Plan an analysis solution.
Identify requirements and constraints when designing an analysis solution.


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

After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe design considerations for an OLAP solution.
Describe design considerations for the relational schema of an OLAP solution.
Describe considerations for designing and implementing OLAP cubes.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:
Design an effective physical storage solution for dimensions and measures.
Partition relational data.
Partition multidimensional data.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:
Create calculated members.
Create named sets.
Create scoped assignments.

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

After completing this module, students will be able to:
Create KPIs.
Create actions.
Create 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
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Specify appropriate hardware and software resources for an Analysis Services solution.
Design an Analysis Services infrastructure that supports high scalability.
Design an Analysis Services infrastructure that supports high availability.

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 company's 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

After completing this module, students will be able to:
Deploy an Analysis Services solution.
Secure an Analysis Services solution.