MDX Solutions: With Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services

A hands-on tutorial on building and using multidimensional data warehouses
The SQL query language is used to access data in most simple databases. But for multidimensional (or OLAP) data warehouses, Microsoft developed MDX. The MDX query language has become essential know-how for developers and users alike, whether for data warehouses or for budgeting and planning systems. This tutorial/reference guide shows developers and users how to use MDX to access and analyze data for decision support. Both the standard language and Microsoft's own extensive additions to MDX are explained. The authors provide practical examples of MDX in use, and explain both standard usage and more advanced techniques, such as optimization, cube design, and Pareto analysis. Finally, the appendices provide a handy reference guide that users can rely on.

GEORGE SPOFFORD (george@dsslab.com) is Chief Architect of the DSS Lab, where he is a consultant and software engineer specializing in design, implementation, and evaluation of OLAP-based DSS systems and related tools. He coauthored Microsoft OLAP Solutions (also from Wiley) and has extensive experience applying Microsoft's analysis tools. Working on OLAP technologies since 1988, he has also developed OLAP clients and servers, including Power Thinking Tools' FreeThink. He earned a Microsoft MVP award for his contributions to the OLAP user community.