Summary

In this chapter you were introduced to Analysis Services 2005 and learned how it overcomes most of the limitations of its predecessor, Analysis Services 2000. In addition to trumping these limitations, Analysis Services 2005 provides a rich suite of tools for development and management of Analysis Services databases.

You were introduced to the Business Intelligence Development Studio, which is core to designing Analysis Services cubes and dimensions. You successfully created a cube using the cube wizard; in the course of building that cube you learned about data sources, data source views, dimensions, and relevant wizards used to create these objects. You successfully deployed the cube to Analysis Services and then browsed the cube within Business Intelligence Development Studio.

In the second half of this chapter you learned about the integrated management environment of SQL Server 2005, which is used to manage SQL Server and Analysis Services. You were familiarized with the various objects within an Analysis Services database by browsing the objects in the Object Explorer.

Finally, you learned that MDX does not require a Ph.D. in nuclear physics to use. The MDX Query Editor can be used easily to execute an MDX query, in this case, against the cube you built. Finally, you were able to view the results. In the next chapter you learn the basics of MDX, which will form the foundation for you to understand Analysis Services 2005 one level deeper.