Pragmatic SSAS

Hosted by Pragmatic Works

February 13 – February 16, 2012  2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT (online)

March 12 – March 15, 2012  2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT (online)

June 11 – June 14, 2012  2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT (online)

Presented by Stacia Misner

Register for this event at http://pragmaticworks.com/services/training/Default.aspx.

During this 4-half day course, you will learn how to use SSAS 2008 in your enterprise. This class takes you from the ground-up, teaching you the fundamental skills you need to develop and deploy SSAS solutions and present this new data to your end users. This class is presented in SQL Server 2008 but is appropriate for those using SQL 2005 as well. Some of the topics covered in this class are: How to develop a data warehouse for your company, how to develop a repeatable methodology for a successful SSAS project, how to create and configure a cube and dimensions, how to write MDX (the querying language for cubes), how to define calculations, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and perspectives, implementing dynamic security, how to administer and deploy SSAS, defining actions, implementing data mining, how to build office-based BI applications and dashboards, and administering SSAS.

 

SQLBits X

A 360-Degree View of SQL Server 2012 Business Intelligence

March 29, 2012 London, UK

Presented by Stacia Misner

In this session, we’ll take a holistic look at the BI features in the latest version of SQL Server by reviewing the architecture requirements, exploring the implications for existing BI applications, and introducing new capabilities that support the transformation of data into business insight. We’ll start with data integration and management by reviewing the overhaul that Integration Services received in this release, how to formalize the data cleansing process by using the new Data Quality Services, and how master data management is improved with the updates to Master Data Services. Then we’ll discuss the improvements to analytical capabilities by exploring updates to Analysis Services, including the new Tabular Model, and enhancements available in PowerPivot. Last, we’ll cover the new presentation layer options available in Reporting Services and the new release of Power View. Of course, you’ll see demonstrations of the new features, but the primary purpose of this session is to give you a chance to ask lots of questions and to get a look “under the hood” to better understand what you’ll need to do to get these BI features up and running properly. You’ll also learn how to prepare your data environment to leverage these features and how best to manage the user experience.

So How Does the BI Workload Impact the Database Engine, Part 1

March 30, 2012 London, UK

Presented by Stacia Misner and Denny Cherry

The use of BI technologies to package and deliver data to business users requires a well-maintained infrastructure to support a demanding workload. In this first of two sessions, SQL Server MVPs  Denny Cherry and Stacia Misner review how the various components fit together and how decisions about where to install each component affect overall performance. We’ll also discuss how day-to-day BI operations such as ETL and how to optimize data warehouse load operations.

(Way Too Much) Fun with Reporting Services

March 31, 2012 London, UK

Presented by Stacia Misner and Erika Bakse

Head starting to explode from all the technical information you’re absorbing?  Come spend a session with us while we play games with Reporting Services…literally!  Come watch and cheer as SQL Server MVP Stacia Misner is challenged by her progeny and protégé Erika Bakse to an hour of word play, all wrapped up in SQL Server Reporting Services.  They’ll push the limits with what can be built in SSRS and have a stupid amount of fun while doing it.  Swag, trash talk, board games and SQL…who could ask for more?

 

SQLSaturday #111

Think Outside the Group! Taking MDX to the Next Level

April 14, 2012 2:30 – 3:30 PM, Atlanta, GA

Presented by Erika Bakse

Reporting Services is a powerful tool that can make designing reports a snap…most of the time. But every once in a while you have to format a report very specifically, and that starts with your data query. In this session, we’ll think outside the group! Learn about how to use named sets, dummy members, and other MDX tricks to craft your queries in a way that allows you to conquer the trickiest report layouts.

Immersion Event on Business Intelligence

April 16 – April 20, 2012 8:30 AM – 5:45 PM (Friday ends at 5:00 PM), Chicago, IL

May 7 – May 12, 2012 8:30 AM – 5:45 PM (Friday ends at 5:00 PM), London, UK

August 20 – August 24, 2012 8:30 AM – 5:45 PM (Friday ends at 5:00 PM), Bellevue, WA

Presented by Stacia Misner

Even with little to no knowledge of BI, this course will provide you with immediately-usable, production-level knowledge of BI. The course has been designed to take you from installation to configuration to application and integration – for all facets of the BI stack (SSIS, SSAS, SSRS, PowerPivot, and SharePoint) – it is meant for anyone who wants to get involved in BI. Are you a DBA who wants to better understand how to support BI projects on your servers? Or do you need to jumpstart your skills so you can start building solid, scalable BI solutions? This class might be the perfect way to advance your career and dig deeper into topics that don’t typically get covered in most BI classes.

Maybe you accomplish quite a bit with Excel – but how do you get the data there? Quite a few folks use cut-and-paste, or import from a CSV – but of course there’s a much better, and much more scalable and robust way using SSIS! Relational data warehousing – with lots of aggregate tables – helps you keep your data organized for Excel or any other type of reporting or analysis tool that you might want to use, but some types of business questions are answered more easily when you move your data from the data warehouse into SSAS cubes. Whether you store data in tables or cubes, you have a variety of options in the BI stack to access and analyze the data, but which is best? Learn how to choose the right tool for the task and how to manage a secure and scalable environment for reporting and analysis.

The course starts out in the 100-200 range on Day 1 but moves into the 200-300 range for the remainder of the week. For each technology in the BI stack, you’ll learn basic usage and design principles, followed by more coverage of configuration, performance tuning, and other management tasks than you’ll find in most BI end-to-end classes. The course will not only bridge the gap in your BI knowledge, but will continue on to take you a lot further. If you’ve always wanted to immerse yourself into BI, figure out the end-to-end story, and go behind-the-scenes to learn how to install, configure, and deploy BI solutions, this is the place to be!