MDM Administration

This section covers the essential administrative tasks and best practices for managing Multidimensional Data Models (MDM) in SQL Server Analysis Services.

Key Administration Areas

Database Management

Managing the Analysis Services database is crucial for its performance and availability. This includes tasks like:

• Backups and Restores: Implementing a robust backup strategy to protect your Analysis Services data.
• Processing: Understanding different processing modes (Full, Incremental, Smart) and scheduling for efficient data updates.
• Security: Configuring roles, permissions, and access controls to secure your multidimensional models.

Performance Tuning

Optimizing the performance of your multidimensional models ensures a responsive user experience. Key areas include:

• Monitoring server performance metrics.
• Optimizing queries and calculations (MDX).
• Tuning aggregations and partitions.
• Configuring server properties.

Deployment and Configuration

Deploying and configuring Analysis Services instances for multidimensional models involves:

• Installing and configuring Analysis Services in Multidimensional mode.
• Deploying databases using Visual Studio or other deployment tools.
• Configuring server settings for optimal resource utilization.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting

Proactive monitoring and effective troubleshooting are vital for maintaining a healthy Analysis Services environment.

• Using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) for monitoring.
• Analyzing trace events.
• Troubleshooting common errors and performance bottlenecks.

Common Administrative Tasks

Managing Partitions

Partitions allow you to divide large fact tables into smaller, more manageable segments, which can significantly improve query performance and processing times. Key administrative aspects include:

• Creating and managing partitions.
• Defining partition aggregation designs.
• Processing individual partitions.

Configuring Aggregations

Aggregations are pre-calculated summaries that speed up common queries. Administrators need to:

• Design and generate aggregations.
• Monitor aggregation usage and effectiveness.
• Rebuild or update aggregations as needed.

Securing Your Models

Implementing granular security is paramount. This involves:

• Defining roles and assigning users or groups.
• Granting or denying permissions at various levels (database, cube, dimension, measure group, cell).
• Implementing Row-Level Security (RLS) and Cell-Level Security (CLS).

For more in-depth information on specific administration tasks, refer to the following sub-sections:

• Backup and Restore Procedures
• Data Processing Strategies
• Security Model Configuration