Knight's Microsoft Business Intelligence 24-Hour Trainer (Book & DVD) [Paperback]

Brian Knight (Author), Devin Knight (Author), Adam Jorgensen (Author), Patrick LeBlanc (Author), Mike Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2010 | ISBN-10: 0470889632 | ISBN-13: 978-0470889633 | Edition: 1

A book-and-video introduction to Microsoft's Business Intelligence tools

If you are just starting to get a handle on Microsoft Business Intelligence (BI) tools, this book and accompanying video provides you with the just the right amount of information to perform basic business analysis and reporting. You'll explore the components and related tools that comprise the Microsoft BI toolset as well as the new BI features of Office 2010. After a basic primer on BI and data modeling, the expert team of authors provides you with step-by-step lessons in the book and videos on the accompanying DVD on how to use SQL Server Integration Services, SQL Server Analysis Services, SQL Server Reporting Services, Excel BI (including PowerPivot), and SharePoint.

• Integrates instructional videos with each of the lessons found in the book to enhance your learning experience
• Explores the Microsoft Business Intelligence (BI) toolset as well as the new BI features of Office 2010
• Encourages you to practice what you've learned in "Try It Out" sections
• Contains video demonstrations that walk you through how to tackle each lesson featured in the book

With Knight's Microsoft Business Intelligence 24-Hour Trainer, veteran authors present you with an ideal introductory book-and-video package so that you can get started working with the BI toolset immediately!/p

Note: As part of the print version of this title, video lessons are included on DVD. For e-book versions, video lessons can be accessed at wrox.com using a link provided in the interior of the e-book.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A hands-on guide to Microsoft's Business Intelligence toolset

An ideal starting point for anyone new to the world of Business Intelligence (BI), this unique book-and-DVD package introduces you to the Microsoft BI toolset and provides you with information you need to perform basic business analysis and reporting with Excel and SharePoint. The expert authors begin with a basic primer on BI and data modeling and go on to show you step by step how to use SQL Server Integration Services, Analysis Services, Reporting Services, Excel BI (including PowerPivot), and SharePoint. Each lesson in the book has an accompanying tutorial on the DVD, making your learning experience thorough and understandable.

Knight's Microsoft Business Intelligence 24-Hour Trainer:

• Breaks down data warehousing and Business Intelligence into digestible pieces

• Escorts you through solving common scenarios involving SQL Server Integration Services

• Details the ways to configure a data source and a data source view in SQL Server Analysis Services

• Demonstrates how to develop, deploy, and administer SQL Server Reporting Services, use maps in your report, and build a matrix report or dashboard

• Teaches you to deploy and use Reporting Services, Excel Services, and PowerPivot for Excel 2010 and SharePoint 2010

Wrox guides are crafted to make learning programming languages and technologies easier than you think. Written by programmers for programmers, they provide a structured, tutorial format that will guide you through all the techniques involved.

On the DVD

Don't just learn—do!

The lessons within the book are each accompanied by an instructional demonstration on the DVD.

You'll learn to:

• Use control flow and data flow

• Solve common SSIS scenarios

• Load dimensions as well as a fact table

• Configure a data source and a data source view

• Add new dimensions and measure groups

• Create calculations

• Build a matrix report

• Deploy and administer SSRS

• Use Report Builder

• Load data into a PowerPivot workbook

• Deploy and use Reporting Services in SharePoint 2010

Please see the DVD appendix for details and complete system requirements.

About the Author

Brian Knight, SQL Server MVP, is the founder of Pragmatic Works. He is author of more than a dozen books.

Devin Knight is an author, consultant, and trainer with Pragmatic Works.

Adam Jorgensen is an author, trainer, consultant, and President of Pragmatic Works Consulting.

Patrick LeBlanc, SQL Server MVP, is a BI Architect, consultant, and trainer with Pragmatic Works.

Mike Davis is an author, developer, consultant, and trainer with Pragmatic Works.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Wrox; 1 edition (September 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470889632
• ISBN-13: 978-0470889633
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #442,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read BI primer November 1, 2010

By J. Simmons

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I attended a virtual conference hosted by SSWUG.org where most of the authors presented different tracks. After seeing their knowledge of the topic first hand I knew I had to check out their book, and I am glad I did. The book is very well written and the end of chapter samples are easy to follow. But as an added bonus the DVD with the book gives a video overview of each chapter, and also goes over the chapter exercise. Personally I will get more out of this book with the video than I do most technology books due to the video. I will definitely recommend this to anyone that is looking for a BI primer.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have reference library addition!!!! November 2, 2010

By CP

Format:Paperback

Amazing, the guys at Pragmatic Works mesh so well that the book flows like a novel moving through the topics without the normal hard stop and start that I usually experience with collaborative technology books.
Although the book classifies itself for the beginner, I find this to be a must have reference guide for BI developers and analysts. This book aids in the understanding of the whole picture that often eludes us since most just work on one faucet without a complete understanding of how their piece fits or impacts with adjusted timelines, scope creep, data integrity, etc.
The book built and reemphasized my strong points, at times filling in the gaps from being self taught but allowed me to focus on areas that I have very little experience with such as Analysis Services and MDX. Since this was a "starting point" book it allowed me to learn from a point where I was comfortable but did not insult my intelligence while giving hands on exercises that used just learned experiences to solidify what you just learned. This is an awesome book that I have and will continue to promote as a great knowledge based tool.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Investment! May 23, 2011

By AccidentalDBA

Format:Paperback

This book helped me greatly when I had to learn Business Intelligence for my job. I really liked how it covered the entire BI stack. I could immediately apply what I had learned at my company, and with this book's easily understood demos and writing style, that was quite a lot!

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Training for the Money February 16, 2013

By D. Williams

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The well-written text complemented by the enlightening DVD gave me the quickest start I could hope for. My only quibble is I wish the DVD sessions were a little slower with some additional details. Overall the best jump start you'll find. I went right back and bought their SharePoint 2010 Business Intelligence 24-Hour Trainer because it is in the same format. I hope they'll bang out more in the series as quickly as they are able.

5.0 out of 5 stars MBI-24 Book Review. December 30, 2012

By Ali M Zeidan

Format:Paperback

I have read many technical books in the past. I did enjoy reading and trying the try it demos in this book. The video is awesome. I did build my own performance Dashboard by following the step by step in the book.
I love to see more books written with this format. It is so easy to follow and try it on your own and if you miss anything then you go to the video and watch it and see what you missed.

Job well done Brian, Devin, Adam, Patrick and Mike for a book that is very well written. Keep up the good work.

Regards,
Ali

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast overview of the BI environment. June 29, 2012

By alan

Format:Paperback

I received this book as a raffle prize at my local SQL Server user group meeting (MADPASS).

The book is a great mixture of text, screen shots and graphics. The material starts with basic dimensional and fact table review, but moves quickly through all of the BI tenticles, such as SSIS, SSAS, and SSRS including an intro on spatial mapping.

I would recommend this book to anyone just starting in the BI environment. The sections on SSAS...lessons 11-20 I found very helpful. Chapter 17 is also a wonderful primer on MDX.

4.0 out of 5 stars Get quickly up-to-speed with powerful SQL Server BI Products March 11, 2012

By dotsnail

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and 2008 include powerful Business Intelligence products: Analysis Services, Reporting Services and Integration Services. I have used Integration Services at the financial firm where I work to build some powerful, high-performance applications to go quickly through large amounts of data. A lot of companies have these products installed but are not using them. This is one of the books that helps you get started quickly and it shows the power and flexibility of these products. The book has text, tutorials, labs and includes a DVD with useful demos. There are a few things you have to figure out yourself but that often happens with tutorials. All in all a valuable addition to your bookshelf, something you'll use long after you finished working through the tutorials. Brian Knight and his team set the standard for SQL Server BI product training.

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Buy With Your Eyes Closed March 10, 2012

By M. Iqbal

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

There are many books that have long discussion and gets you bored soon. This books has very short chapters that you can quickly finish, and better yet, has the accompanying VIDEO tutorials that are really valuable. This the best value for your money. If you have to grasp the idea of BI quickly, this is the shortcut, BUY IT IMMEDIATELY.

If you want in-depth knowledge, buy another book along with this one. That will be full coverage. The book will take you from beginners to intermediate level very quickly.