Creating a Virtual Cube to Consolidate Information
One of the main reasons
for creating a virtual cube is to compare values that exist within two OLAP
databases against each other. We will create a virtual cube that accomplishes
this and also effectively demonstrates the general steps of design and
creation.
Our example will involve
the Sales and Budget cubes, both of which are installed as sample
with a Typical MSSQL Server 2000 Analysis Services installation. As one
might conclude from the names, the Sales cube houses actual sales
data, while the Budget cube contains budgeted values for many of
the corresponding accounts. The primary objective in creating our first virtual
cube will be to provide information consumers a means of comparing actual and
budget values, in our case expense values.
- Start Analysis Manager, then expand the Analysis
Server name (shown below as MOTHER) to see the underlying
databases as shown below:
Illustration 1: Expand the Analysis Server
- Expand the FoodMart 2000 database to see the
underlying folders as displayed in Illustration 2:
Illustration 2: Expand the FoodMart 2000 Database
- Right-click the Cubes folder.
- Click New Virtual Cube on the context menu, as
shown below.
Illustration 3: Select New Virtual Cube
The Virtual Cube
Wizard Welcome Dialog appears as shown in Illustration 4.
Illustration 4: The Virtual Cube Wizard Welcome Dialog
- Click Next.
Page 4: Creating a Virtual Cube (Continued)
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