Introduction to MSSQL Server 2000 Analysis Services: Build a Web Site Traffic Analysis Cube: Part II - Page 8

August 25, 2003

Processing the Cube

Let's process our new cube, and then take a look at the results via the Cube Browser.

The Save the Cube dialog appears as shown in Illustration 32.

The Cube: New Name dialog appears.

A message box (shown in Illustration 34) appears warning that the cube has no aggregations designed, and asking if we want to design aggregations prior to processing the cube.

The Process a Cube dialog appears, as depicted in Illustration 35. The Full Process option is selected by default, as this is the first time the cube has been proposed for processing.

Cube processing begins, as evidenced in the status display of the Process dialog that appears. Processing rapidly completes, at which point the Process dialog appears similar to that partially shown in Illustration 36, displaying a "Processing Completed Successfully" statement in green at the bottom of the dialog.

The Cube Editor closes, and we are returned to the Analysis Manager console.

We see the Web Site Traffic Cube in the tree pane, as depicted in Illustration 37.

Keep in mind that we must process the cube before browsing actual data, anytime we build a new cube and design its storage options and aggregations, or anytime we change a cube's structure (measures, dimensions, and so on), where we intend to save the changes to the cube. We must also process a cube anytime we change the structure of a shared dimension (via the Dimension Wizard) used in the cube. If data in the data source (i.e. data warehouse) supporting the cube has been added or changed, processing is appropriate to furnish updated, accurate results when browsing the cube.

Let's take a look at the data in our cube at this point, to get a feel for the effectiveness of our design.