ADOPTING WEB 3 FOR YOUR BUSINESS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Building a SSAS Tabular Model Database
1. Creating a Tabular Model
Using SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services
Steve Hughes
Practice Lead, Data and BI
2. Agenda
» Basics of SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services
» VS Multidimensional Model
» VS PowerPivot
» Creating a Tabular Model – AKA the Demo
» Wrap Up
4. How many models in SSAS?
» BISM (2012)
» Business Intelligence Semantic Model
» UDM (2005-2008 R2)
» Unified Dimensional Model
» Multidimensional Model
» Data Mining Model
» Tabular Model
5. Connectivity model or data model?
Third-party Reporting
Excel
SharePoint
applications Services PowerPivot Insights
» Connectivity
» BISM
» Data BI Semantic Model
Multi-
Data model dimensional
Tabular
» Tabular
Business logic
MDX DAX
» Multidimensional and queries
Direct
Data access ROLAP MOLAP VertiPaq Query
Databases LOB Applications Files OData Feeds Cloud Services
7. Multidimensional model differentiators
» Tabular » Multidimensional
» In memory cache » File based storage
» Loose structure » Rigid structure
» Data does not need to move » It is best when data is put into a
from source star schema
» Relational model » Dimensional model
» DAX » MDX
» Simple » Complex
» Smaller » Larger
9. PowerPivot differentiators
» Tabular » PowerPivot
» Visual Studio Project » Excel
» Deploy to SSAS » Deploy to SharePoint
» Size limited to memory » Size limited to 2GB
» Supports Partitioning xVelocity »No partitions
» DirectQuery and Vertipaq » Vertipaq only
» Server Admin tools (e.g. SSMS) » Excel and SharePoint “Admin”
» Row level & dynamic security » Workbook file security
10. Vertipaq is now xVelocity
» Vertipaq has been rebranded into xVelocity
» Vertipaq was too hard to spell and did not contain “x”.
» xVelocity
» In memory, highly optimized data storage and querying engine
» Used in
» PowerPivot
» SQL Server Analysis Services – Tabular model
» SQL Server – Column data store
11. Some Notes on DirectQuery
» Why?
» SQL Server data source only
» No calculated columns
» DAX support in the model is “limited”, basically can’t be used
» Results have been different between DirectQuery and native Tabular
» Cause by semantic differences between xVelocity and SQL Server
» Why Not?
» Security can be implemented at source and in model
» No data refresh required
12. New Features in Both PowerPivot and Tabular
» Hierarchies
» KPIs
» Perspectives
» Diagram View (YAY)
» New DAX functions
» And more…
14. Building the tabular model
» Source: AdventureWorks (not the DW version)
» Plan
» Create project
» Add data source
» Add measure
» Add partition
» And more …
16. Steve Hughes
» Practice Lead with Magenic
» Over 15 years with SQL Server
» Chair of Minnesota SQL Server User Group (PASSMN)
» PASS Regional Mentor for US-NorthEast Region
» Contact Info
» Blog: http://www.dataonwheels.com
» Twitter: @DataOnWheels
» Email: steveh@magenic.com