OLAP Solutions: Building Multidimensional Information Systems [Paperback]

Erik Thomsen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471400300 | ISBN-13: 978-0471400301 | Publication Date: April 18, 2002 | Edition: 2

OLAP enables users to access information from multidimensional data warehouses almost instantly, to view information in any way they like, and to cleanly specify and carry out sophisticated calculations. Although many commercial OLAP tools and products are now available, OLAP is still a difficult and complex technology to master.

• Substantially updated with expanded coverage of implementation methods for data storage, access, and calculation; also, new chapters added to combine OLAP with data warehouse, mining, and decision support tools
• Teaches the best practices for building OLAP models that improve business and organizational decision-making, completely independent of commercial tools, using revised case studies
• Companion Web site provides updates on OLAP standards and tools, code examples, and links to valuable resources

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This book is a hands-on guide to using OLAP to create multidimensional data systems that quickly retrieve information from storage. Explaining what OLAP actually is, the book details the many available OLAP tools, how to select the proper tool, and how to apply multidimensional structuring to existing data sets. CD-ROM includes a copy of software package TM1, a fully functioning version of each case study covered in the book, and a copy of visualization product "Data Diamond." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

A complete, practical, hands-on guide to mastering OLAP technology "I was awestruck by the range, depth, and quality of this book." -Rick Crandall, OLAP Council Spokesman and Comshare Board Chairman Written in a clear and engaging style by one of the leading experts in the field, this book takes you on a comprehensive and richly illustrated journey from the most basic concepts to the most advanced areas of OLAP technology. The book describes both logical OLAP features, such as dimensions and hypercubes, and physical features, such as storage and access methods, using real-life case studies to illustrate concepts. You can follow these case studies, step-by-step, using the OLAP software provided on the accompanying CD-ROM. Inside this comprehensive resource you'll find:
* An overview of OLAP and its relationship to data warehousing
* Complete coverage of multidimensional features, including dimensions, hypercubes, hierarchies, data, links, and formulas
* Thorough treatment of how to visualize multidimensional data sets
* Practical steps for designing multidimensional information systems
* Case studies covering such topics as global planning for sales and marketing, portfolio analysis, air transportation, and cost-benefit analysis for infrastructure projects
* Guidelines for evaluating OLAP products, with OLAP vendor and product descriptions
On the CD-ROM you'll find:
* A copy of the OLAP software package used to create the book's case studies
* A functional version of each case study covered in the book
* A copy of the product used to create the book's visualizations
* A functional version of the visualizations created in the book
* A full listing of major OLAP vendors and tools
Visit our Web site at: http://www.wiley.com/compbooks/ --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 696 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (April 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471400300
• ISBN-13: 978-0471400301
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #762,398 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #53 in Books > Computers & Technology > Business & Culture > Technical Support

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very fundamental. A must have for an OLAP prefessional, March 26, 2001

By 

Konstantin Lissianski (Russia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: OLAP Solutions: Building Multidimensional Information Systems (Paperback)

Even though I had been familiar with OLAP concepts before I bought this book, I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to anyone seriously interested in OLAP. You will learn the history of OLAP and why traditional tools like SQL and spreadsheets are not very well suited for analysis that multidimensional tools are capable of performing. There are two comprehensive chapters on basic multidimensional features like dimensions, hierarchies, attributes and so on for those who are not familiar with them yet. There are more chapters describing some advanced features like joining cubes, visualization, formulas. Sparsity problems are taken into consideration as well as storage options for multidimensional data. There are several business cases for OLAP application, but, unfortunately, as other reviewers have already noticed the software which goes with the book does not work properly, so I just skimmed throuth the chapters where the use of the software was described. For me it was not the main part because I had already had some experience with OLAP tools before. The author destinguishes clearly between data warehousing and OLAP which some people sometimes fail to do. I liked also the last chapter where the author gives some guidelines on how to evaliate OLAP tools, which may be very helpful for those who have not made their minds yet about what tool to use in their project. Although there is some outdated material in the book, it without a doubt deserves its five stars.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anybody involved in Olap design, September 4, 2002

By 

[e-mail] (Rivergaro, PC Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: OLAP Solutions: Building Multidimensional Information Systems (Paperback)

A book which gives you a comprehensive theoretical foundation together with useful, pratical techniques to design Olap solutions.
In the first half of the book the author explains you all you need to think clearly in N dimensions, in the second half he guides you through the design of a rather complex application, stepping into the purchasing process, the material inventory analysis, sales & marketing, and activity-based management. He teaches you using maieutics, Socrates' way of teaching, via a dialogue between two designers. This way, a lot of questions that usually arise during real-life development are examined and solved.
Whilst the examples in the first edition of this book were based on TM1, in this second edition they are written using a vendor-independent language, called LC (Located contents), which provides you with a solid, logically based foundation to multidimensional design.
The vendor languages, like those used by Microsoft Analysis Services (MDX), Applix TM1, Oracle Express and Hyperion Essbase, are kind of Plato's shadows in the cavern of this ideal language (which is sort of a tautology for MS Plato...), so if you start thinking in LC, you'll be able to work with all of these products.
Ideal complements to this book, if you use Microsoft Analysis Server, are "MDX Solutions" by George Spofford, and "Microsoft Olap Solutions", by Thomsen (again!), Spofford and Chase.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars if you're not doing MSOLAP..., January 11, 2001

By 

Megan Squire (Gibsonville, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: OLAP Solutions: Building Multidimensional Information Systems (Paperback)

If you're not doing MSOLAP, then this is pretty much (as of the date of this writing) the only practical choice for an OLAP book. It's a good book, very clear explanations of some concepts I was having trouble with (ie, difference between 'generation' and 'level' when every vendor treats these words differently). The descriptions of multi-dimensionalism and how to train your brain to think non-two-dimensionally were just what I needed. I did not install the software in the back of the book, so I can't comment on that.