Objective:
Use
this procedure to prepare SQL Server Management Studio for writing, modifying and executing MDX queries, and examining
the results returned, within a practice session.
1.
Click the Start
button on the PC.
2.
Select Microsoft
SQL Server 2005 within the Program group of the menu.
3.
Click SQL
Server Management Studio, as shown in Illustration 1.
Illustration 1: Opening
SQL Server Management Studio
The Connect to Server
dialog appears, after the brief Management Studio splash screen.
4.
Select Analysis
Services in the Server type selector.
5.
Type / select
the server name (server name / instance, if appropriate) in the Server name
selector.
6.
Supply
authentication information, as required in your own environment.
The Connect to Server
dialog appears similar to that depicted in Illustration 2.
Illustration 2:
Connecting to the Server …
7.
Click the Connect
button to connect with the specified Analysis Services server.
The SQL Server
Management Studio opens.
8.
In the Object
Explorer pane (it appears by default on the left side of the Studio),
expand the Databases folder (click the “+” sign to its immediate left),
appearing underneath the Analysis Server within which we are working.
The Databases folder
opens, exposing the detected Analysis Services database(s), as shown
in Illustration 3.
Illustration 3: Exposing
the Analysis Services Databases in the Object Browser
NOTE: The Analysis Services
databases that appear will depend upon the activities that have taken place in
your own environment, and will likely differ from those shown in Illustration
3 above. For purposes of this practice session, the Adventure Works DW
database must be present. If this is not the case, consult the Books
Online for the installation / connection procedures, and complete these
procedures before continuing.
9.
Expand the Adventure
Works DW database.
The Database expands,
exposing the folders for the various objects housed within the
Analysis Services database, as depicted in Illustration 4.
Illustration 4: Exposing
the Object Folders in the Database …
10.
Expand the Cubes
folder within the Adventure Works DW database.
The Cubes folder
opens. We may see multiple cubes here. Adventure Works is the sample
cube with which we will be conducting our practice exercises. The cubes appear
similar to those shown in Illustration 5.
Illustration 5: The
Cubes Appear …
11.
Click the Adventure
Works cube to select it.
12.
Click the New
Query button just under the main menu, in the upper left corner of the Management
Studio, as depicted in Illustration 6.
Illustration 6: Click
the New Query Button with the Adventure Works Cube Selected
The Metadata
pane for the Adventure Works cube appears, along with the Query
pane to its right, as shown in Illustration 7.
Illustration 7:
Adventure Works Cube Metadata Appears …
We will
be using the Query pane to construct and execute MDX queries within our
practice session.