Smart Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Book excerpt: Get the end-to-end instruction you need to design, develop, and deploy more effective data integration, reporting, and analysis solutions using SQL Server 2008—whether you’re new to business intelligence (BI) programming or a seasoned pro. With real-world examples and insights from an expert team, you’ll master the concepts, tools, and techniques for building solutions that deliver intelligence—and business value—exactly where users want it. Discover how to: Manage the development life cycle and build a BI team Dig into SQL Server Analysis Services, Integration Services, and Reporting Services Navigate the Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) Write queries that rank, sort, and drill down on sales data Develop extract, transform, and load (ETL) solutions Add a source code control system Help secure packages for deployment via encryption and credentials Use MDX and DMX Query Designers to build reports based on OLAP cubes and data mining models Create and implement custom objects using .NET code View reports in Microsoft Office Excel and Office SharePoint Serverook