SQL Server Analysis Services

Introduction to Tabular Mode and BISM

Josh Fennessy

BI Architect
BlueGranite, Inc (http://www.blue-granite.com)

Agenda

Analysis Services before today

The BI Semantic Model
Tabular Mode Architecture
Demonstration
Review / questions / comments

A brief history

SQL SERVER ANALYSIS

SERVICES

SSAS story

Based on OLAP technology purchased by MSFT from Panorama

Software in 96

Officially released in 98 as OLAP Services in SQL 7.0

Renamed in SQL 2000 to SSAS

Many new features delivered in SSAS 2005

Data mining
UDM

ANALYSIS SERVICES TODAY

Broad adoption
Customers in the Magic Quadrant survey report that their Microsoft average
deployment sizes are now larger than any other vendor in the survey in terms
of users.
Use of OLAP functionality by Microsoft customers is more than double that for
the rest of the survey respondents.
Source: Gartner Magic Quadrant for BI Platforms, 2011

Large ecosystem
"Wide availability of skills is among the top reasons customers select Microsoft over competing vendors.
Source: Gartner Magic Quadrant for BI Platforms, 2011

Highest rated infrastructure and development tools

Microsoft customers rate its BI platform infrastructure and development tools among the highest compared to
other vendors, and a higher percentage of customers use them extensively.
Source: Gartner Magic Quadrant for BI Platforms, 2011

ANALYSIS SERVICES TOMORROW

Build on the strengths

and success of
Analysis Services and
expand its reach to a
much broader user
base

Embrace the relational

data model well
understood by
developers and IT Pros

Analysis Services
Vision

Bring together the

relational and
multidimensional
models under a
single unified BI
platform best of
both worlds!

BI Semantic
Model

Provide flexibility in the

platform to suit the
diverse needs of BI
applications

Business Intelligence
Semantic Model

BI SEMANTIC MODEL
One Model for all End User Experiences
Client Tools
Analytics, Reports, Scorecards,
Dashboards, Custom Apps

BI Semantic Model
Data model
Business logic
and queries

Data access
Data Sources
Databases, LOB Applications, OData Feeds,
Spreadsheets, Text Files

Personal
BI TPowerPivot
eam BIfor Organization
PowerPivot for
Analysis
Excel
SharePoint
Services
al BI

BI Semantic Model

What about existing Analysis Services applications?

Existing
applications

Existing
applications

Based on Unified Dimensional

Model

Every UDM becomes a BI

Semantic Model

New applications
New technology options

After RTM

Denali

BISM ARCHITECTURE
Third-party
applications

Reporting
Services

Excel

SharePoint
Insights

PowerPivot

BI Semantic Model
Data model

Multidimensional

Tabular

MDX

DAX

Business logic
and queries
Data access

Databases

LOB Applications

ROLAP

Files

MOLAP

OData Feeds

VertiPaq

Direct
Query

Cloud Services

BISM FEATURES

Flexibility

Richness

Multi-dimensional and tabular

modeling experiences

Rich data modeling

capabilities

MDX and DAX for business

logic and queries

Sophisticated business
logic using MDX and DAX

Cached and passthrough

storage modes

Fine-grained security
row/cell level

Choice of end-user BI tools

Enterprise capabilities
multi-language and
perspectives

Scalability
VertiPaq for high
performance, MOLAP for
mission critical scale
DirectQuery and ROLAP
for real-time access to
data sources
State-of-the-art
compression algorithms
Scales to largest
enterprise servers

SCENARIO: EXCEL OVER SALES

MODEL
End
User

Model Developer

BI Semantic Model
Data model
Business logic
and queries
Data access

SQL Server

Multidimensional

Tabular

MDX

DAX

VertiPaq

Dynamics CRM

WHAT DOES BISM DO FOR

ME?
Quiz time! Pick which one is a Tabular Model.

SSAS DATA ACCESS & STORAGE

xVelocity
In-memory column store

typical 10x compression

Brute force memory scans

high performance by default

no tuning required
Basic paging support data

volume mostly limited to

physical memory

DirectQuery
Passes through DAX queries &

calculations fully exploits

backend database capabilities
No support for MDX queries

no support for data sources

other than SQL Server (in
Denali)

MOLAP
Disk based store typical 3x

compression
Disk scans with in-memory

subcube caching aggregation

tuning required
Extensive paging support

data volumes can scale to

multiple terabytes

ROLAP
Passes through fact table

requests not recommended

for large dimension tables
Supports most relational data

sources no support for

aggregations except SQL
Server indexed views

CUSTOM CALCULATIONS
DAX
Based on Excel formulas and

relational concepts easy to

get started
Complex solutions require

steeper learning curve

row/filter context, Calculate,
etc.
Calculated columns enable

new scenarios, however no

named sets or calc
members

MDX
Based on understanding of

multidimensional concepts
higher initial learning curve
Complex solutions require

steeper learning curve

CurrentMember, overwrite
semantics, etc.
Ideally suited for apps that

need the power of

multidimensional
calculations scopes,
assignments, calc members

HOW SHOULD I BUILD MY

SSAS SOLUTION?
Two Visual Studio (BIDS) project types in Denali
Multidimensional project with MDX and MOLAP/ROLAP
Tabular project with DAX and VertiPaq/DirectQuery
Some Considerations

Favors Tabular/DAX

Favors Multi-dim/MDX

Cube write-back needed?

Parent/Child needed?
4/4/5 Fiscal Calendars
Excessive Many to Many
Extreme data volumes
Large MD investment?
Large RAM footprint a
negative?
Financial models
(budgeting/forecasting)

Real-time (Direct Query)

Counting whats not present
Excel-based Modeling
Attractive?
Non-relational data sources?
In-memory performance
benefit
Lower learning curve
desirable?
Simpler models (Sales, OLTP
transaction analysis, etc.)

OTHER THOUGHTS
Multidimensional isnt dead
DAX doesnt address some common modeling
requirements
Vertipaq has more limited storage (models must fit in
RAM)
Many simple data modeling tasks are easier in DAX; many
complex ones are easier in MDX
As DAX/BISM evolves it will close the gap, but not for a
couple years
At RTM Power View is a Tabular-only technology
This will probably force a decision to tabular in some
scenarios
Business Analytics is complex no matter what expression
language is used
DAX isnt a silver bullet, but it probably is easier to learn to
implement basic/intermediate calculations than MDX for
those new to OLAP
Should I port my Multidimensional cube to Tabular during
migration?
If calculations arent complex and all necessary features

OTHER THOUGHTS
Process for Multidimensional to Tabular migration
Evaluate features in the gap
Many-to-many (can be done in calculations however)
Parent/Child
Cube writeback
Calculated members
Etc.
How difficult to rewrite calculations in DAX?
Is the data too large for Tabular mode? (terabytes+)
Will the server have enough RAM?
Existing application impact?
Does Tabular/DAX solve unmet needs?
Multi-select issues in calculations
Counting whats not there needs
Performance issues (ad-hoc w/o aggregation issues)

Demo

REVIEW
BISM is designed to make USER experience
smoother
Complexity still exists in data modeling
Multi-dimensional is not gone
DAX is still complex

THANK YOU!
Questions? Email me - jfennessy@blue-granite.com