Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Overview

Transform disparate enterprise data into actionable business intelligence

Put timely, mission-critical information in the hands of employees across your organization using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and the comprehensive information in this unique resource. Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 shows you, step-by-step, how to author, customize, and distribute information that will give your company the competitive edge. It's all right here--from data mining, warehousing, and scripting techniques to MDX queries, KPI analysis, and the all-new Unified Dimensional Model. Real-world examples, start-to-finish exercises, and downloadable code throughout illustrate all of the integration, analysis, and reporting capabilities of SQL Server 2005.

Table of contents

PART I: Business Intelligence
Chapter 1: Equipping the Organization for Effective Decision Making
Chapter 2: Making the Most of What You've Got -- Using Business Intelligence
Chapter 3: Searching for the Source -- The Source of Business Intelligence
Chapter 4: One-Stop Shopping -- The Unified Dimensional Model
Chapter 5: First Steps -- Beginning the Development of Business Intelligence
PART II: Defining Business Intelligence Structures
Chapter 6: Building Foundations -- Creating and Populating Data Marts
Chapter 7: Fill 'er up -- Using Integration Services for Populating Data Marts
PART III: Analyzing Cube Content
Chapter 8: Cubism -- Measures and Dimensions
Chapter 9: Bells and Whistles -- Special Features of OLAP Cubes
Chapter 10: Writing a New Script -- MDX Scripting
Chapter 11: Pulling It Out and Building It Up -- MDX Queries
PART IV: Mining
Chapter 12: Panning for Gold -- Introduction to Data Mining
Chapter 13: Building the Mine -- Working with the Data Mining Model
Chapter 14: Spelunking -- Exploration Using Data Mining
PART V: Delivering
Chapter 15: On Report -- Delivering Business Intelligence with Reporting Services
Chapter 16: Let's Get Together -- Integrating OLAP with Your Applications
Chapter 17: Another Point of View -- Excel Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts

Biographical note

Brian Larson is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, with degrees in Physics and Computer Science. He has 20 years of experience in the computer industry and 16 years of experience as a consultant creating custom database applications. Brian is currently Chief of Technology for Superior Consulting Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a Microsoft Consulting Partner for Reporting Services. He is a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) and a Microsoft Certified Database Administratior (MCDBA).

Brian served as a member of the Reporting Services development team as a consultant to Microsoft. In that role, he contributed to the original code base of Reporting Services.

Brian has presented seminars and provided training and mentoring on Reporting Services across the country. He is a contributor and columnist for SQL Server magazine and is currently writing the B.I. Powers column appearing on the SQL Server magazine website. In addition to this book, Brian is the author of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services, also from McGraw-Hill/Osborne.

Back cover copy

Transform disparate enterprise data into actionable business intelligence

Put timely, mission-critical information in the hands of employees across your organization using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and the comprehensive information in this unique resource. Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 shows you, step-by-step, how to author, customize, and distribute information that will give your company the competitive edge. It's all right here -- from data mining, warehousing, and scripting techniques to MDX queries, KPI analysis, and the all-new Unified Dimensional Model. Real-world examples, start-to-finish exercises, and downloadable code throughout illustrate all of the integration, analysis, and reporting capabilities of SQL Server 2005.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR DATABASE PROFESSIONALS
Understand the goals and benefits of business intelligence
Manage Analysis Services databases using BI Development Studio
Improve performance and decrease latency using proactive caching
Create interactive reports using SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services
Enable ad hoc reporting using Report Models and Report Builder
Integrate with applications using ADOMD.NET and the Report Viewer Control
Design and create relational data marts and OLAP cubes
Perform powerful data analysis using MDX queries and scripts
Perform complex operations with Integration Services
Uncover behavior patterns and proclivities using data mining