Data Mining with Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008

Introduction

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 is the third version of SQL Server that ships with included data mining technology. Since it was introduced in SQL Server 2000, data mining has become a key feature of the larger product. Data mining has grown from an isolated part of SQL Server Analysis Services with two algorithms, to an intrinsic part of the SQL Server Business Intelligence (BI) platform that is fully integrated with OLAP, Integration Services, and Reporting Services. Other Microsoft applications (such as Microsoft Dynamix CRM and Microsoft Performance Point Server) seamlessly integrate SQL Server Data Mining to accentuate their functionality with predictive power.

SQL Server Data Mining has become the most widely deployed data mining server in the industry, with many third-party software and consulting companies building on, specializing, and extending the platform. Enterprise, small and medium business, and even academic and scientific users have all adopted or switched to SQL Server Data Mining because of its scalability, availability, extensive functionality, and ease of use.

This book serves as a guide to SQL Server Data Mining, explaining how it works, providing detailed technical and practical discussions of the SQL Server Data Mining technology, and demonstrating why you should deploy and use SQL Server Data Mining for yourself.

How This Book Is Organized

This book is written to provide you with the knowledge necessary to implement successful data mining solutions using ...