May 21, 2012 at 11:28 am
I have a pretty good understanding of T-SQL, and I use SSRS all the time. (Although I wouldn't call myself an SSRS expert by any means.) However, I really don't know what I am doing with Analysis Services. It seems very different from what I am used to.
What are the best online resources for learning Analysis Services? What are the best books? What other resources would you recommend?
Thank you all for your help! 🙂
May 21, 2012 at 12:02 pm
You could try starting at Pragmatic Works (www.PragmaticWorks.com) and watching their videos. Brian Knight is an expert at Analysis Services, and his books etc are very easy to follow. I have a couple of his books and he assumes you know nothing about SSAS, and walks you through setup and at least the basics of BI. His website also has lots of cool demos etc and you can sometimes download his BI tools like TaskFactory for free/cheap if you attend one of his webinars. Well worth the 1-2 hours in my opinion.
May 21, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Hmmm. This isn't quite what I hoped to find. I see that they have basic Business Intelligence training available for $249. They also have some free web presentations available on your typical SQL Server topics (the ones with which I am already familiar).
Where can I find free (or at least inexpensive) training for Analysis Services? I can find all kinds of free videos, etc. for SQL Server (database engine). What about Analysis Services?
Failing that, how about some good books? What are the best books for Analysis Services? As I am sure you know, it is hard to find good technical books that are more that just reference material. Most technical books read like the Shipping News: better than warm milk and a big turkey dinner for putting you to sleep.
May 21, 2012 at 2:07 pm
What are you trying to learn in SSAS? Most of the general BI books will be SSIS/SSAS/SSRS combos and you'll walk through building a data mart in SSIS, cube and dimensions is SSAS and then doing some reporting on it with SSRS. You'll usually get a very basic intro to MDX too.
I don't have a good SSAS only resource, but I'd recommend checking out some books on Amazon and seeing if they have a free sample to read so you get an idea of what is in the book and how that information is delivered. Some authors that I've like are Paul Turley and Brian Larson. There is an AdventureWorks analysis services sample that a lot of books and resources use. Microsoft also has a series of free tutorials for AdventureWorks: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms170208(v=sql.105).aspx.
MWise
May 21, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Mhlewis (5/21/2012)
Most of the general BI books will be SSIS/SSAS/SSRS combos and you'll walk through building a data mart in SSIS, cube and dimensions is SSAS and then doing some reporting on it with SSRS. You'll usually get a very basic intro to MDX too.
That sounds pretty good for a start. What would you recommend? Has any book struck you as particularly good?
May 21, 2012 at 4:26 pm
I used Brian Larson's "Delivering Business Intelligence" for SQL Server 2005. It was servicable and covered the basics, but I would have preferred it use AdventureWorks for it's sample database. Another book of his is on markdown at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Delivering-Business-Intelligence-Microsoft-Server/dp/B005SNIKFG/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1337638904&sr=8-25. If you are on SQL Server 2005, you can't beat $3.17!
"Knight's Microsoft Business Intelligence 24-Hour Trainer" has some good reviews and I think includes a video. I am a fan of Pragmatic Works and BIDN.com. I've attended lots of their free sessions and have always learned something.
MWise
May 21, 2012 at 5:02 pm
I have the BI book by Brian Knight - super easy to follow. It's essentially a series of exercises in increasing complexity. Comes with a CD with videos of everything. Just wish the screens were completely visible. Other than that, really good.
May 21, 2012 at 6:09 pm
I'll look for those. Thank you, very much!
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