Building a SSAS Tabular Model Database

Creating a Tabular ModelUsing SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services

Steve HughesPractice Lead, Data and BI

Agenda» Basics of SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services

» VS Multidimensional Model

» VS PowerPivot

» Creating a Tabular Model – AKA the Demo

» Wrap Up

SQL Server 2012 Analysis ServicesOnly two models, really?

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

Connectivity model or data model?» Connectivity

» BISM

» Data

» Tabular

» Multidimensional

BI Semantic Model

Data model

Business logic

and queries

Data access ROLAP MOLAP VertiPaqDirect

Query

MDX DAX

Multi-

dimensionalTabular

Third-party

applications

Reporting

Services Excel PowerPivot

Databases LOB Applications Files OData Feeds Cloud Services

SharePoint

Insights

VS Multidimensional ModelsWhat happened to my UDM and why isn’t it good enough?

Multidimensional model differentiators» Tabular

» In memory cache

» Loose structure

» Data does not need to move from source

» Relational model

» DAX

» Simple

» Smaller

» Multidimensional

» File based storage

» Rigid structure

» It is best when data is put into a star schema

» Dimensional model

» MDX

» Complex

» Larger

VS PowerPivotIs a tabular model really PowerPivot for SQL Server?

PowerPivot differentiators» Tabular

» Visual Studio Project

» Deploy to SSAS

» Size limited to memory

» Supports Partitioning

» DirectQuery and Vertipaq

» Server Admin tools (e.g. SSMS)

» Row level & dynamic security

» PowerPivot

» Excel

» Deploy to SharePoint

» Size limited to 2GB

» No partitions

» Vertipaq only

» Excel and SharePoint “Admin”

» Workbook file security

xVelocity

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

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

New Features in Both PowerPivot and Tabular

» Hierarchies

» KPIs

» Perspectives

» Diagram View (YAY)

» New DAX functions

» And more…

The Tabular ModelCreating the tabular model in SSAS

Building the tabular model» Source: AdventureWorks (not the DW version)

» Plan

» Create project

» Add data source

» Add measure

» Add partition

» And more …

Wrap UpQ & A and my contact info

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

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