I am happy to announce that my new book published today. (both paper and eBook version are available now)
Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Business Intelligence Development: Beginner’s Guide
This book covers introduction to all components of Microsoft Business Intelligence (one chapter for each component). topics that covered in the book are Dimensional Modeling, SQL Server Analysis Services Multi-Dimensional, SQL Server Analysis Services Tabular, SQL Server Integration Services, Data Quality Services, Master Data Services, Data Mining (Descriptive Models, and Predictive Models), SQL Server Reporting Services, Dashboard Design with PerformancePoint, Power View, Power BI topics such as Power Query and Power Map, and embedding BI frond end in customized .NET applications.
I would like to thank my wonderful wife who supported me in writing the book, words won’t be enough to explain my gratitude to her. This book couldn’t be done without her support.
I would like to thank my father, mother, and sister who were my teachers in life, and learned me how to overcome challenges and choose my path in life.
I would like to thank my friend Pedro Perfeito, who I started the book with him, but unfortunately he get busy during the project and had not time to continue working on the book. I was happy working with him during this period, and even my previous book with him (Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Integration Services; an Expert Cookbook). He is one of the best technical friends that I have. I wish luck for him and his family.
I would like to thank all my blog readers, conference audiences, New Zealand user group members, my MVP friends, and SQL Family who helped me with their comments and feedbacks on my technical work. without you I won’t get that much far in my technical activities. your words are the best motivation for me.
Here are more information about the book:
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: Data Warehouse Design
Chapter 2: SQL Server Analysis Services Multidimensional Cube Development
Chapter 3: Tabular Model Development of SQL Server Analysis Services
Chapter 4: ETL with Integration Services
Chapter 5: Master Data Management
Chapter 6: Data Quality and Data Cleansing
Chapter 7: Data Mining – Descriptive Models in SSAS
Chapter 8: Identifying Data Patterns – Predictive Models in SSAS
Chapter 9: Reporting Services
Chapter 10: Dashboard Design
Chapter 11: Power BI
Chapter 12: Integrating Reports in Applications
Index
- Chapter 1: Data Warehouse Design
- Understanding Business Intelligence
- The architecture and components of a BI system
- The data warehouse
- Extract Transform Load
- Data model – BISM
- Data visualization
- Master Data Management
- Data Quality Services
- Building the data warehouse
- Dimensional modeling
- Fact or measure
- Dimension
- The Fact table
- Grain
- The star schema
- An example of Internet sales
- FactSales
- The customer dimension
- DimDate
- DimProduct
- DimStore
- Types of facts
- The Factless Fact table – The Bridge table
- Types of dimensions
- Slowly Changing Dimension
- SCD type 0
- SCD type 1
- SCD type 2
- Dimensional modeling
- Summary
- Chapter 2: SQL Server Analysis Services Multidimensional Cube Development
- Why is OLAP required?
- Understanding the SQL Server Analysis Services engine
- Developing your first cube
- Time for action – creating an Analysis Services project
- Time for action – creating the first cube
- Time for action – viewing the cube in the browser
- Dimensions and measures
- Time for action – using the Dimension Designer
- Time for action – change the order of the Month attribute
- Time for action – modifying the measure properties
- Data Source View
- Time for action – creating a Named Calculation
- Time for action – using a Named Query
- Using dimensions
- Time for action – adding a Fact relationship
- Hierarchies
- Time for action – creating a hierarchy
- Multidimensional eXpression, calculated members, and Named Sets
- Time for action – writing an MDX query
- Time for action – calculated members
- Deploying and processing
- Time for action – deploying an SSAS project
- Time for action – processing the data
- Summary
- Chapter 3: Tabular Model Development of SQL Server Analysis Services
- Introducing SSAS Tabular
- Developing a tabular project
- Time for action – creating a tabular project
- Time for action – creating measures
- Creating hierarchies
- Time for action – creating a hierarchy from a single table
- Time for action – creating a hierarchy from multiple tables
- Data Analysis eXpression, calculated columns, and measures
- Time for action – using time intelligence functions in DAX
- Securing the data
- Time for action – security in tabular
- Storage modes
- Time for action – creating a model with the DirectQuery storage mode
- Tabular versus Multidimensional SSAS
- Summary
- Chapter 4: ETL with Integration Services
- Understanding ETL and data consolidation
- Staging
- SQL Server Integration Services
- Integration Service projects and packages
- Time for action – creating your first SSIS project
- The Control Flow tab
- Time for action – working with Control Flow tasks
- The Data Flow tab
- Time for action – loading customer information from a flat file into a database table with a Data Flow Task
- Containers and dynamic packages
- Time for action – looping through CSV files in a directory and loading them into a database table
- Deploying and executing
- Time for action – deploying an SSIS project
- Time for action – executing an SSIS package from a catalog
- Summary
- Understanding ETL and data consolidation
- Chapter 5: Master Data Management
- Understanding Master Data Management
- Master Data Services
- Time for action – configuring MDS
- Comparing WebUI with the Excel Add-in
- Time for action – installing Excel Add-in
- Creating models and entities
- Time for action – creating a model and an entity
- Time for action – creating an entity with data from the Excel Add-in
- Time for action – change tracking
- The entity relationship
- Time for action – creating a domain-based relationship
- Business rules
- Time for action – creating a simple business rule
- Working with hierarchies
- Time for action – creating a derived hierarchy
- Security and permission
- Time for action – permission walkthrough
- Integration management
- Time for action – a subscription view
- Time for action – entity-based staging
- Summary
- Chapter 6: Data Quality and Data Cleansing
- Understanding data quality
- Data Quality Services
- Time for action – installing Data Quality Services
- Knowledge Base Management
- Time for action – creating a Knowledge Base
- Knowledge discovery
- Time for action – knowledge discovery
- Data cleansing with Data Quality Projects
- Time for action – using Data Quality Project for cleansing
- Domain and composite domain rules
- Time for action – composite domain rules
- Synonyms and standardization
- Time for action – creating synonyms and setting standardization
- Matching
- Time for action – matching policy
- Time for action – matching projects
- Integrating with MDS and SSIS
- Time for action – the DQS cleansing component in SSIS
- DQS integration with MDS
- Summary
- Chapter 7: Data Mining – Descriptive Models in SSAS
- An introduction to data mining
- The Microsoft Decision Tree algorithm
- Time for action – creating a data mining solution with the Microsoft Decision Tree algorithm
- Microsoft association rules
- Time for action – the Microsoft association rule
- Algorithm parameters
- Summary
- Chapter 8: Identifying Data Patterns – Predictive Models in SSAS
- Finding the best algorithm
- Time for action – finding the best mining model with Lift Chart and Profit Chart
- Predicting data with DMX
- Time for action – predicting prospective bike buyers
- Microsoft Time Series
- Time for action – predicting future sales with Microsoft Time Series
- Summary
- Chapter 9: Reporting Services
- The Reporting Services architecture
- Developing a basic report
- Time for action – creating our first report using SSRS
- Extended report development
- Parameters
- Time for action – adding parameters to a report
- Printing and page configuration
- Time for action – changing a page’s properties
- Sorting and grouping
- Time for action – applying ordering and grouping on the data rows
- Expressions
- Time for action – changing the background color of data rows based on expressions
- Adding charts
- Time for action – working with charts in Reporting Services
- Deploying and configuring
- Time for action – deploying a report
- Time for action – using Report Manager
- Summary
- Chapter 10: Dashboard Design
- The PerformancePoint service
- Time for action – configuring PerformancePoint in SharePoint
- The Dashboard Designer utility
- Time for action – creating your first dashboard with PerformancePoint Dashboard Designer
- The dashboard pages
- Time for action – creating a dashboard page
- PPS dashboard’s on-the-fly features
- Time for action – exploring on-the-fly features
- Filters
- Time for action – working with filters
- PerformancePoint Wrap Up
- Power View
- Time for action – enabling Power View in Excel
- Time for action – creating the first Power View dashboard
- Map
- Time for action – geographical data visualization using Power View
- Scatter chart
- Time for action – visualizing time-based information with a scatter chart
- Filtering data
- Time for action – using Filter in Power View
- Wrapping up Power View
- Summary
- Chapter 11: Power BI
- Self-service ETL with Power Query
- Time for action – self-service ETL with Power Query
- Power Map
- Time for action – data visualization with Power Map
- Summary
- Chapter 12: Integrating Reports in Applications
- Designing .NET applications with reports
- Time for action – installing AdventureWorks SSRS sample reports
- Developing reports in a web application
- Time for action – working with reports in web/Windows applications
- Developing reports in a Metro application
- Time for action – working with reports in Metro applications
- Working with ReportViewer in a local processing mode
- Time for action – designing reports and working with the local processing mode
- Passing parameters to a report
- Time for action – changing a report configuration with a ReportViewer Object through code behind
- Using the results of a mining model in an application
- Time for action – running DMX queries from a .NET application
- Summary
I will share the discount codes for book as soon as I get them.
All the best.
Reza is author of more than 14 books on Microsoft Business Intelligence, most of these books are published under Power BI category. Among these are books such as Power BI DAX Simplified, Pro Power BI Architecture, Power BI from Rookie to Rock Star, Power Query books series, Row-Level Security in Power BI and etc.
He is an International Speaker in Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft Business Applications Summit, Data Insight Summit, PASS Summit, SQL Saturday and SQL user groups. And He is a Microsoft Certified Trainer.
Reza’s passion is to help you find the best data solution, he is Data enthusiast.
His articles on different aspects of technologies, especially on MS BI, can be found on his blog: https://radacad.com/blog.