Microsoft Bets Big on BI

The new version of SQL Server has hit RC (Release Candidate). This means that it is nearly ready for release. There will probably be one or two more RCs before the final product ships. There are some exciting new changes in the database and this is especially true of the business intelligence engine; Analysis Services.

Microsoft has been doing exciting things in business intelligence for years. The technology that they have incorporated into SharePoint, Excel and SQL has brought BI tools to the masses. It used to require a significant capital expenditure to gear up for BI, but Microsoft has reduced the cost and increased the quality with each successive version of SQL Server.

The biggest change, this time, comes in the form of Tabular Modeling. This is an in-memory business intelligence model that is based on standard relational ideals. In other words it is a reporting database that “looks” like a normal database. Since it follows all the standard practices of a relational database the tabular model requires less of a learning curve than multidimensional modeling. The tabular model can be accessed by all your favorite reporting tools (Excel being one of them). The model is resident in memory so performance is quite impressive. Not to worry, advanced compression keeps it to a reasonable size.

Another big addition is KPIs. SQL now supports the creation of a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) that can be stored as part of the database. This allows for KPIs to be evaluated directly against measures and increases the performance of your BI reporting tools. The ability to drill-down is also built in which creates a hierarchy of KPIs that can show more and more detail.

These new features can dramatically lower the top and bottom line costs for a business intelligence solution. DataFive can help your company take advantage of these new features. If your business is going to upgrade or is about to implement SQL Server then you must educate yourself about these upcoming changes. The savings could be significant.