Getting Started with SQL Server Analysis Services

What is SQL Server Analysis Services?

SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) is a powerful tool for business intelligence professionals. It enables users to create and manage OLAP cubes, data mining models, and tabular models. This allows for complex querying, sophisticated analysis, and data visualization, empowering users to gain insights from large datasets.

• OLAP Cubes: Pre-aggregated data structures that enable fast querying for multidimensional analysis.
• Tabular Models: In-memory databases optimized for analytical queries, using a columnar database engine.
• Data Mining: Algorithms and tools for discovering patterns and predictive relationships in data.

Key Concepts to Understand

Before diving in, it's beneficial to grasp some core concepts:

• Data Sources: The underlying databases or files from which SSAS extracts data.
• Dimensions: Hierarchical structures that provide context to measures (e.g., Time, Geography, Product).
• Measures: The numerical values that are analyzed (e.g., Sales Amount, Quantity).
• Cubes (Multidimensional Models): A collection of dimensions and measures, providing a multidimensional view of data.
• Tables (Tabular Models): Relational tables optimized for analytical workloads, often using In-Memory OLTP technology.

Setting Up Your Environment

To start developing with SSAS, you'll need the following:

1. SQL Server Installation: Install a version of SQL Server that includes Analysis Services. You can choose between Multidimensional or Tabular modes.
2. SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT): Install SSDT for Visual Studio. This provides the development environment for creating SSAS projects.
3. Sample Databases: Consider using sample databases like AdventureWorksDW to practice building models.

You can download SQL Server and SSDT from the official Microsoft SQL Server website.

Your First SSAS Project (Multidimensional Mode)

Let's walk through creating a simple OLAP cube:

1. Open Visual Studio with SSDT installed.
2. Create a new project: File > New > Project.
3. Under Business Intelligence, select Analysis Services > Analysis Services Project.
4. Name your project and click OK.
5. In the Solution Explorer, right-click Data Sources and select New Data Source to connect to your data.
6. Right-click Data Source Views and select New Data Source View to define the tables and relationships you'll use.
7. Right-click Dimensions and select New Dimension to create dimensions based on your tables.
8. Right-click Cubes and select New Cube to define your measures and associate them with dimensions.

Follow the wizard, and you'll have a basic cube ready for deployment.

Your First SSAS Project (Tabular Mode)

For tabular models, the process is similar:

1. Create a new project as described above, but select Analysis Services Tabular Project.
2. Use the Table Import Wizard to connect to your data source and select tables.
3. Define relationships between tables.
4. Create calculated columns and measures using DAX (Data Analysis Expressions).

Tabular models offer a more familiar relational approach and are often easier to learn for those familiar with relational databases.