VI.2.3. Creating a SQL Server Analysis Project

The Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) is used to create SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) projects. SQL Server 2008 uses the Visual Studio 2008 shell, so if you're familiar with Visual Studio, you'll notice many similarities.

The overall steps that you need to follow to create and use a cube are

  1. Create a project

  2. Define a data source

  3. Define a data source view

  4. Create a cube using measures and dimensions

The following sets of steps lead you through each process.

These exercises use the AdventureWorksDW2008 database available as a free download from Microsoft's CodePlex site. CodePlex is Microsoft's open source project hosting Web site. The SQL Server database samples are found here:

www.codeplex.com/MSFTDBProdSamples

At the site, click the Releases tab and download the AdventureWorksDW2008 database. Run the executable on your SQL Server system and follow the installation wizard to install the AdventureWorksDW2008 database. Be sure to select Restore AdventureWorksDW2008 to be installed on your local hard drive.

Use the following steps to create an SSAS project within BIDS. You use this project to create a SQL Server Analysis cube. These steps assume you've installed SQL Server Analysis Services on your server.

  1. Launch the Business Intelligence Development Studio by choosing StartAll ProgramsMicrosoft SQL Server 2008SQL Server ...

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