Practice
Preparation
Create
a Clone Cube
Let's get started by creating a clone of
the Warehouse sample cube, which, along with the FoodMart
database that contains it, accompanies an MSAS installation. This will allow us
to keep the original sample cube intact for other uses, while adding a calculated
member we need to simulate the production cube upon which our practice
example focuses.
1. Open
Analysis Manager, beginning at the Start menu.
2. Expand
the Analysis Servers folder by clicking the "+" sign to
its immediate left.
Our server(s) appear.
3. Expand
the desired server.
Our database(s) appear, in much the same manner as depicted
in Illustration 1.
Illustration 1: A Sample Set of Databases Displayed within
Analysis Manager
4. Expand
the FoodMart 2000 database.
5. Expand
the Cubes folder.
The sample cubes appear, as shown in Illustration 2.
Illustration 2: The Sample Cubes in the FoodMart 2000
Database
NOTE: Your local
databases / cube tree will differ, depending upon the activities you have
performed since the installation of MSAS (and the simultaneous creation of the
original set of sample cubes). Should you want or need to restore the cubes to
their original state, simply restore the database under consideration. For
instructions, see the MSSQL Server 2000 Books Online.
6. Right-click
on the Warehouse sample cube.
Again, we are making a copy of the Warehouse cube to
isolate it. Our lesson will involve the execution of demanding queries upon the
cube we use within the practice example. Our intention is to work with an
isolated cube, to which we will be making modifications, and to leave the
original fully available to other users.
7. Select
Copy from the context menu that appears.
8. Right-click
on the Cubes folder.
9. Select
Paste from the context menu that appears.
The Duplicate Name dialog appears.
As noted in previous articles, we cannot have two cubes of
the same name in a given MSAS database.
10. Type the following into the Name
box of the Duplicate Name dialog:
MDX30 Optimize CrossJoin
The Duplicate Name dialog appears, with our
modification, as depicted in Illustration 3.
Illustration 3: The Duplicate Name Dialog, with New Name
TIP: As I
have mentioned elsewhere in this and other series, the foregoing is also an
excellent way of renaming a cube, (a "rename"
capability is not available here, as it is in many Windows applications).
Simply create a duplicate, give it the name to which you wish to rename the old
cube, and then delete the old cube, as appropriate. This also works for MSAS
databases, dimensions and other objects.
11. Click OK to apply the
name change, and create the cube.
The new cube, MDX30 OPTIMIZE CROSSJOIN , appears in
the cube tree, among those already in place. We now have a copy of the Warehouse
cube, within which we can perform the steps of our practice exercise. Let's
process the new cube to "register" it with Analysis Services, and to
reach the "processed" state required for querying.
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