Chapter 16. Using Analysis Services as a data source
When you have a large database to query or your reports contain complex calculations that are difficult to perform by using relational queries, you can move your data into an online analytical processing (OLAP) database managed by Analysis Services. An OLAP database is characterized by a multidimensional data structure known as a cube, which provides fast responses to queries and includes spreadsheet-style formulas to centralize and simplify the business logic used to perform calculations. To query a cube, you must use the Multidimensional Expression (MDX) query language, which many people find difficult to learn. The good news is that Reporting Services includes a query designer that you can ...
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