Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 [Paperback]

Brian Larson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0071549447 | ISBN-13: 978-0071549448 | Publication Date: November 19, 2008 | Edition: 2

Maximize the Business Intelligence Tools in Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Manage, analyze, and distribute enterprise data with help from this expert resource. Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 covers the entire BI lifecycle and explains how to build robust data integration, reporting, and analysis solutions. Real-world examples illustrate all of the powerful BI capabilities of SQL Server 2008. This is your one-stop guide for transforming disparate data into actionable insight for users throughout your organization.

• Understand the goals and benefits of business intelligence
• Design and create relational data marts and OLAP cubes
• Manage Analysis Services databases using BI Development Studio
• Cleanse data and populate data marts with SQL Server Integration Services
• Take advantage of the flexibility of the Unified Dimensional Model
• Manipulate and analyze data using MDX scripts and queries
• Use data mining to identify data patterns, correlations, and clustering
• Develop and distribute interactive reports with SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services
• Integrate business intelligence into enterprise applications using ADOMD.NET and the Report Viewer Control

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian Larson, MCSD, served as a member of the Reporting Services development team and contributed to the code base. He is the chief of technology for Superior Consulting Services (SCS), a Microsoft Certified Partner.

Product Details

• Paperback: 792 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media; 2 edition (November 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071549447
• ISBN-13: 978-0071549448
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,341 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > Computers & Technology > Microsoft > Development > SQL Server
  • #14 in Books > Computers & Technology > Certification > Microsoft
  • #38 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > MIS

More About the Author

Brian Larson is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, with degrees in physics and computer science. Brian has worked in the computer industry since 1985 and has been a consultant creating custom database applications since 1989. He is currently the Vice President of Technology and BI Practice Manager for Superior Consulting Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota (http://www.teamscs.com). Brian is an MCITP: Business Intelligence Developer 2008 and a Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA).

Brian served as a member of the original Reporting Services development team as a consultant to Microsoft. In that role, he contributed to the initial code base of Reporting Services.

Brian has presented at national conferences and events, including the SQL Server Magazine Connections Conference, the PASS Community Summit, and the Microsoft Business Intelligence Conference, and has provided training and mentoring on Reporting Services and business intelligence across the country. He has been a contributor and columnist for SQL Server Magazine.

Brian began his writing career collecting rejection letters for some very bad science fiction short stories. Brian got the last laugh on all of those cruel editors by sneaking a bit of science fiction into his Reporting Services books. The sample company used in all of the examples is an intergalactic shipping company staffed by robots and employing faster than the speed of light travel to offer previous day delivery. The company back story may be fanciful; the business examples, however, are all down to earth!

Brian lives with his wife Pam in suburban St. Paul, Minnesota. Pam will tell you that their first date took place at the Luther College computer center. If that doesn't qualify someone to write computer books, then I don't know what does.

Brian can be contacted at [e-mail].

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great overview of a huge subject, February 3, 2009

By 

Ron Davis "USMC 67-71 OOHRAH!" (Plano, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (Paperback)

This author sets out to walk you through a huge subject, which is Microsoft's BI stack, in a single volume and does an admiral job of introducing the key concepts and components that a Microsoft implementation requires. It should be considered a starting point from which much is to be gained. Experienced BI developers will learn about the new features in SQL 2008. He also spends an entire chapter on Transformers or Microsoft SSIS explaining each of the components and going into detail where required. His explanation of the Unified Data Model is quite good.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was that you need the custom database that is free and is downloadable and that he refers to throughout the book. What's not to like about that? You cannot find any link on the publisher's site, the reference to the page in the book doesn't work and searching for the code on the publisher's site returns empty. I finally contacted customer service who sent me over to technical services that finally sent me the link. Not the author's problem but maybe technical books should come out of the technical press.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New to SQL Server BI? Start here, June 15, 2009

By 

Henry Bell (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (Paperback)

This book is a perfect choice for people who are generally familiar with relational databases and business intelligence concepts who want to learn how to build them in MS SQL Server. The book covers the database engine, SSIS, SSAS, and SSRS. The outline of the book starts with setting up the environment then proceeds thru getting the data, analyzing it, and finally reporting it. This is the right order to cover these topics. There is not enough here to make you an expert on any topic, but there is a good introduction to the many topics in the area. The book is well written, edited, and illustrated.

It includes complete coverage of "what SQL Server 2008 BI can do" but is short on "how to do it". There is a good mix of theory, examples, and practice with many "Learn-by-doing" exercises. These are very valuable. The book does include enough detail to answer most beginners' questions.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for a newbie to SSIS and SSAS, May 4, 2009

By 

Harsh Sood "NJ Man" (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (Paperback)

Kudos to the author and his style of writing. He explains each and every step on SSIS and SSAS so eloquently that he makes the topic understanding a breeze. This is one of the very few books i have read that gets you hooked on to it and finish it as soon as possible with all the exploration you want to do in SSIS and SSAS.

In short - an excellent book for starters.