Introduction To MDX

5th December 2012 - 7th December 2012

Who is it for?

This course designed for BI professionals with some experience of SQL Server Analysis Services cubes, but little or no experience of MDX, will teach the fundamentals of the MDX query language and show how to implement common queries and calculations.

What you will learn

The course agenda is as follows:

Day 1

What is MDX and why should I use it?
Understanding the structure of a cube: recognizing cubes, measure groups, dimensions and hierarchies
Understanding the concepts of members, tuples and sets
Writing simple queries: using SQL Management studio to write SELECT statements
Creating simple calculated members: when to use query, session and cube-scoped calculations, using simple MDX expressions and functions

Day 2

Standard Calculations: looking at the best ways to implement common calculations, such as time series, market shares and rankings
Using set functions: using common MDX functions such as Crossjoin, Filter, Order, Generate to create more complex queries
Advanced concepts: autoexists, solve order and subselects

Day 3

MDX Script Assignments: making scoped assignments, understanding how assignments affect aggregation, using assignments with calculated members
MDX for Reporting Services
Performance Tuning and Troubleshooting: using Profiler, building aggregations, functions to avoid

Key benefits

This course will enable you to write your own MDX queries for reports (for example in SQL Server Reporting Services), and add value to your existing cube by creating new MDX calculations on it.

Cost: £749 plus VAT

Trainer

Chris Webb is the owner of Crossjoin Consulting, and is a consultant specialising in Analysis Services, MDX, PowerPivot and DAX. He is a co-author of "Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services: The BISM Tabular Model", "Expert Cube Development with SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services", and "MDX Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services 2005 and Hyperion Essbase", and blogs at http://cwebbbi.wordpress.com/

Location

LMG Training and Development
15 Risborough Street
Southwark
SE1 0HG

legal disclaimer

Cancellations must be submitted in writing, either via email or by post. Registrants whose cancellations are received at least 1 week before the beginning of the course are entitled to a full refund minus a £25 processing fee. No refunds will be given to registrants who cancel less than 1 week before the beginning of the course or who fail to attend. Substitutions for paid registrants may be made at any time. However, written notice is required and for complete accuracy must include all pertinent changes for the substituting attendee.

In the extraordinary case where the course is cancelled a full refund will be given to all paid registrants. Crossjoin Consulting will not refund any other amount paid by registrants to other companies, including travel expenses and hotel reservations.

Chris Webb's Introduction to MDX course was well-run, informative and good value. It gave me a good understanding of the key principles and ideas and how to apply them to real world situations. It was great environment to learn in, with Chris giving excellent practical exercises and having the depth of knowledge to answer to any group questions.

Calvin Ferns

Consultant, Adatis

Chris has an incredible ability to explain even the most complex logic of Analysis Services and MDX in an easy and funny way. He is one of the best Microsoft Business Intelligence trainers I've ever met.