Case study · P—12
MS Multidimensional OLAP Cubes and the First Semantic Layer
- Role
- Built the semantic layer · Senior Business Intelligence Developer
- Period
- April 2011 – June 2011
- Organisation
- LC Waikiki
- Stack
- SSAS Multidimensional, SQL Server
- Status
- Completed
In short
LC Waikiki's first semantic layer and multidimensional OLAP cubes, giving business units centralized access to analytics.
Context
Before this project, LC Waikiki had no semantic layer or OLAP cubes.
Role: built the first semantic layer and multidimensional OLAP cubes, as Senior Business Intelligence Developer.
Problem
Business units needed centralized access to analytics.
Approach
- Semantic layer: a business-facing layer over the warehouse data, so that business units use the same definitions.
- Multidimensional OLAP cubes (SSAS): for merchandising, supply chain, finance and HR.
Architecture and technology
SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) multidimensional cubes over the SQL Server data warehouse.
Outcome
- LC Waikiki’s first semantic layer and multidimensional OLAP cubes.
- Centralized access and analytics for business units.
- The OLAP semantic layer was published as a Microsoft customer success story.
- Later growth: in 2013 the cubes moved to a load-balanced cluster serving 4,800 users with sub-second average response (see OLAP Scaleout), and the SSAS estate grew to 15 TB.
Lessons
- The 2011 cubes were the starting point of an OLAP estate that later served 4,800 users.