Microsoft offers Olap on a budget
- Posted:
- 15:46 30 Jun 2004
- Topics:
- Business Intelligence | SQL Server | Databases
Analysis Services is bundled with SQL
Server 2000
What is it?
Microsoft has a powerful weapon against best-of-breed products:
bundling in the features other suppliers make revenue from.
Among the targets are business intelligence and Olap (online
analytical processing). Microsoft is targeting its rivals with
Analysis Services as part of SQL Server 2000.
Microsoft's marketing material targets Hyperion's Essbase, also
sold as IBM's DB2 Olap Server. Other suppliers such as Brio
Software, Cognos, ProClarity, Sagent Technology and Business
Objects are being co-opted as partners or Analysis Services
solutions. Going by raw market figures, Microsoft has overtaken
Hyperion as the Olap market leader with 26.1% of the market.
Where did it originate?
Microsoft entered the Olap business when it acquired Panorama
Software Systems, the forerunner to SQL Server 7.0 Olap
Services.
What is it for?
Analysis Services is part of the Olap and datawarehousing included
in SQL Server 2000. Other elements include data mining and data
transformation services.
What makes it special?
Suppliers such as IBM and Oracle sell much of the functionality
included with Analysis Services as add-ons. For example, IBM's DB2
Data Miner is a separate product.
Most business intelligence suppliers have moved to browser-based,
thin-client user environments. Microsoft supports both
client-server and thin-client use of Analysis Services.
Analysis Services sites make less use of external services than
other Olap products, which of course is not so special for would-be
consultants.
How difficult is it to master?
Microsoft and its partners offer a five-day introduction to
designing and implementing Olap with Analysis Services. You will
need to be familiar with Windows 2000 and SQL Server or another
relational database.
Where is it used?
Analysis Services is generally chosen by smaller firms looking for
a low-budget Olap product.
What systems does it run on?
Analysis Services and companion products such as DTS are not
confined to Windows/SQL Server, they can also be used with DB2 and
Oracle databases running on Unix.
Not many people know that
Like SQL Server 2000, Analysis Services is four years old. The Olap
Report said Microsoft is lucky not to be losing ground to more
recently updated competitors. It added that Microsoft still has no
strong Olap client tools, although third-party business
intelligence client tool suppliers fill the gap.
What is coming up?
No major Analysis Services enhancements are expected before the
delayed Yukon release of SQL Server.
Training
Classroom, online and CD-Rom training is available from Microsoft,
its training partners and independent trainers. Look out for the
"Hands-On Lab for Business Intelligence", aimed at Microsoft
Solution Partners, which covers Olap and datawarehousing topics
using Analysis Services.
Rates of pay
Analysis Services tends to be less well paid than other Olap products, but SQL developers with Olap/datawarehouse experience can look for up to £40,000.