Intro to Microsoft Business Intelligence

I wrote an article for SSWUG last month titled An Introduction to Microsoft's Business Intelligence Stack. Written as a case study, I walk you through how one company started off using Reporting services, and eventually needed more information analyzed with a quick turn-around.

Bottom line...

• If you need data either consolidated or manipulated (same system or different systems), check out SQL Server Integration Services SSIS. You cannot go wrong because you'll undoubtedly create more uses for your data.


• If you have hierarchies in your data like products or organizational structures, or if there's a large amount of data you need to aggregate over any dimension like time, you MUST start learning SQL Server Analysis Services. You will need to do SSIS before-hand, but you will not believe how much faster reports and web apps run when attached to SSAS cubes. The use of the hierarchies makes data analysts and executives very happy.

Please check out my article and leave any feedback you may have or even a case study of your own you'd like to share.