Ascertain
Connectivity of the Relational Data Source
Let’s
ensure that the data source within our project is in working order. (We
will be creating a data connection to the new database, as well, in a step
within our practice session.) Many of
us will be running “side-by-side” installations of MSSQL Server 2000
and MSSQL Server 2005. This means that our installation of the latter
will need to be referenced as a server / instance combination, versus a server
name alone (the default for the Adventure Works DW project sample’s
connection is localhost, which will not work correctly in such a
side-by-side installation, as MSSQL Server 2000 will have assumed the
identity of the local PC by default).
If you do not know how
to ascertain connectivity of the relational data source, please perform the
steps of the following procedure in the References section of my
articles index:
Create
a Cube with No Underlying Data Source
To
save preparation time, we will be working within our copy of the sample Analysis Services Project. We will be creating a new cube, however,
within which we will get some hands-on exposure to working with a Time
dimension. Having established the presence of a working Data Source
within our Analysis Services Project, our next steps surround the
creation of very basic cube, within which we will perform our practice session.
Although our intent is
to continue our development efforts with the metadata without an open
connection, most of us probably find it more common to build our cubes and
other objects within the Unified Dimension Model (UDM) based upon
an actual underlying database. We have ensured the presence of working Data
Source for steps that we will perform subsequent to the design of our Time
dimension.
Create a Basic Cube –
Up to Insertion of a Time Dimension
We will create a basic
cube, to house a representative Measure and a few dimensions. We will
focus upon other areas within the overall design and creation process in other
articles of the series – our primary objective here is to gain some familiarity
with a Time dimension – not to concern ourselves with the myriad other
options and topics contained within general cube design.
1.
Right-click
the Cubes folder within the Solution Explorer.
2.
Select New
Cube ... from the context menu that appears, as shown in Illustration 7.
Illustration 7: Select
New Cube ... to Begin Cube Creation
The Welcome to the
Cube Wizard dialog appears, as depicted in Illustration 8.
Illustration 8: The
Welcome to the Cube Wizard Dialog Appears ...
3.
Click Next.
4.
Click the Build
the cube without using a data source radio button on the Select Build
Method page that appears next.
5.
Click the
checkbox just underneath the radio button we just checked, labeled Use a
cube template.
6.
Ensure that Adventure
Works Standard Edition is selected in the template selector list.
The Select
Build Method page appears as shown in Illustration 9.
Illustration 9: Our
Settings on the Select Build Method Dialog
These settings tell the Wizard that we have chosen to create our
cube using a template, but without basing it upon an actual database. Using a
template allows us to design a cube based upon the structure, including dimensions and measures, of an already
existing cube, saving significant time and effort.
7.
Click Next.
8.
In the next
page, Define New Measures, click the left corner box in the header row
of the section labeled Select measures from template (in the upper half
of the page), as depicted in Illustration 10.
Illustration 10: Clearing
the Measures Selected by Default ...
This
clears selection of the measures from the cube we have selected as a template.
By default, all measures are selected.
9.
Select Internet
Sales Amount (the top measure in the section labeled Select measures from template) by clicking the checkbox to its
left.
10.
Click Next.
The Review
Shared Dimensions page appears next. Here we see available shared
dimensions that exist within the UDM, but which have yet to be selected
as cube dimensions. We will not include these shared dimensions in our cube.
The Review
Shared Dimensions page appears as shown in Illustration 11.
Illustration 11: The
Review Shared Dimensions Page
11.
Click Next.
12.
On the next
page, Define New Dimensions, click the left corner box in the header row
of the section labeled Select dimensions from template (in the upper
half of the page), as depicted in Illustration 12.
Illustration 12: Clearing
the Dimensions Selected by Default ...
This
clears selection of the dimensions (all of which were initially selected by
default) from the template cube we have selected as a template.
13.
Select Customers
(the second dimension from the top in the section labeled Select dimension from template) by clicking the checkbox to its
left.
14.
In like
manner, select Products, two rows below (the fourth row from the top).
15.
Similarly,
select Time (the tenth row from the top).
While
the measure and two of the dimensions we have selected are merely to give our
cube some substance, the Time dimension we have selected above is the
key focus of this session. (We will assume, for our immediate purposes, that
the default attributes and settings for each dimension will be acceptable.)
The Define
New Dimensions page appears, with our selections, as shown in Illustration
13.
Illustration 13: The Define
New Dimensions Page with Our Selections
Our next
steps will take us into the “focus” portion of our practice exercise: working
with a Time dimension in Analysis Services 2005.
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