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Please find below the schedule for the Malaysia Conference, followed by a detailed description of each day's events.
 

[ A ] - Presented by Adam Cogan

[ R ] - Presented by Richard Campbell

Day 1

Day 2


#1   Business Intelligence Revisited [ A + R ]
s
 

  • What is BI, Data Warehousing and OLAP?
  • Reviewing the Fundamentals
    • Dimensions and Measures
    • Star and Snowflake Schema
    • Cubes
    • MOLAP, ROLAP and HOLAP
  • Looking at Enterprise Reporting as a whole
    • Production
    • Managerial
    • Executive
    • OLAP doesn't solve everything

* Learn about Attendees

  #2   Cube Performance and Tuning [ A ]

  • Solving the Time Dimension Problem
  • - Working with Virtual Cubes
  • - Using Calculated Members in Virtual Cubes
  • 10 Rules to Better Cubes
  •  - Optimizing databases for OLAP
  • Fixing common cube problems
  • - Defining Member Properties
  • - Creating Computed Measures
  • Performance differences between MOLAP, HOLAP and ROLAP
  • Partitioning

* Note: Maybe Adam can mention about the Future of MOLAP, HOLAP and ROLAP in relation to Yukon and UDM

 

Lunch

 

 

#3   Getting More Data with DTS [ A ]

  • Using Data Transformation Services to bring data from different sources into your cube
  • Routinely updating your cube
  • Data cleaning with Yukon

 

#4   Using the Microsoft SQL Server Accelerator for BI [ R ]

  • How SSABI automates and documents cube deployment
  • Automating DTS development
  • Automating Time Series management
  • Making Cube Development repeatable and reusable

 

 

#1   OLAP Clients [ R + A ]

  • Examining off-the-shelf analysis solutions from third party vendors
  • Why write your own when you can buy?
    • Crystal Analysis - $450US (Richard)
    • Excel - (included in Office) (Adam)
    • Data Analyzer - $165US (Adam)
    • Thin Slicer (Free) (Adam)
    • ZAP BI Suite (Adam)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#2   Exploring Advanced OLAP Features [ R ]

  • Using Actions, Drillthrough, and Writeback
  • Custom Rollups and Members
  • Calculated Cells and Solve Order (Cell Calculation Passes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch

 

#3   Data Mining [ R ]

  • What is Data Mining?
  • Differences between Mining and Analysis
  • Understanding Data Mining Scenarios
  • Building a Data Mining Model

 

 

#4   Security in Analysis Server [ R ]

  • Where security fits into Analysis Server
  • Authentication methods and roles
  • Controlling rights to cubes and dimensions

 

Day 3

Day 4

 

#1   Common SQL Server DBA Tasks [ A ]

 

#2   SQL Server Replication [ R ]

  • Types of replication
    • Snapshot
    • Transactional
    • Merge
  • When and where to use replication

 

Lunch

 

#3   SQL Server High Availability [ R ]

         The difference between hot, warm and cold backup solutions

         Using Clustering to create a hot backup solution

         Using Log Shipping to create a warm backup solution

  

#4   SQL Security [ R ]

  • Authentication Models
  • Permission Models
  • Different security methods for different database uses

 

#1   Access to SQL Server Migration [ A ]

 

 

 

#2   SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services [ A ]

  • Building reports with SQL Server Reporting Services
  • Comparing RS to other reporting methods

 

 

Lunch

 

#3   Combining Exchange Data, SQL Data and SQL Reporting [ A ]

 

#4   Our favorite SQL Server Tips, Tricks and Tools [ A + R ]

 

 

 

 

Detailed Session Descriptions:

 

Day 1

 

Business Intelligence Revisited

Before you can get started building Business Intelligence solutions, you need to grasp exactly what Business Intelligence is. This session gets you started on the ground floor, looking beyond On Line Transactional Processing (OLTP) databases such as SQL Server and into On Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) services like Microsofts Analysis Services. Youll explore the differences between data warehouses and data marts, and how these tools focus on creating information from your data so that your business can act on the data it collects. We will review the fundamentals of OLAP and youll be exposed to the language of OLAP: cubes, measures and dimensions and see how OLAP fits into Enterprise Reporting for an organization at a Production, Managerial and Executive level

 

Performance and Tuning

I n this session we will discuss about building a cube with performance in mind from the beginning and discuss the performance differences between MOLAP, ROLAP and HOLAP and discuss which type is better fit for what purpose. Storage and optimisation will be our prime focus and this session digs into partitioning and storage options for OLAP cubes. Along the way youll examine various methods for optimizing storage of OLAP cubes and the impact those choices have on performance.

 

Getting More Data with DTS

A cube is only as good as the data you put in it, but what if some of that data isnt in a database? Or perhaps its in multiple, disparate databases. Data Transformation Services exists to bring all those different data forms into one place, so that your cube can bring a comprehensive view of your business. This session shows how DTS can extract, combine and re-organize data for your OLAP cube.

 

Data Modeling Revisited

Its easy to believe that if you throw everything you have into a cube, youll get back results, but the reality is more complex than that. In this session well explore the relevance of measure, and how to effectively reflect a business model in a database and OLAP cube. Then well dig deeper into making the most of our measures and dimensions using computed measures, member (measure and dimension) properties and virtual dimensions.

Day 2

 

OLAP Clients

Why do we build on our own when there are off the shelf solutions? This session digs into how to explore a cube using various clients. From the built-in (and very simplistic) Cube Browser in the Cube Manager, youll move on to Excel 2000 Pivot Tables, the Data Analyzer and even take a peek at some third-party analysis tools. Like an OLTP database, an OLAP database is only useful with a good client, and this session will give you a taste of a number of different possibilities.

 

Exploring Advanced OLAP features

Not every measure can be derived from a given column, not every dimension has a simple hierarchy. Microsoft Analysis Services supports the creating of complex measures and dimensions to give your OLAP cube more depth and sophistication. After creating some custom dimension and measures, youll look at the next level of OLAP operations, drilling through data and making alterations to cube information with writeback data by using MDX

 

 

Data Mining

 

Also known as knowledge discovery, data mining is the process of using automation to uncover trends, patterns and relationships in data. This session explores what data mining is and how it is implemented in Microsoft Analysis Services. Well look at the concepts of closed and open loop mining, model and data driven mining. Each of these techniques has advantages and disadvantages, get a taste of which one to decide if they, and data mining in general, is an answer to your business intelligence challenges.

 

Security in Analysis Server

Now that youve created a source of Business Intelligence for your enterprise, you need to protect it. This session digs into the layers of security available to restrict access to Analysis Services. More than just simple login permissions, youll see how roles can restrict what users can see certain cubes, even what dimensions are allowed to be used.

 

 

Day 3

 

Common SQL Server DBA Tasks

Examine how to automate your servers and set them on "auto-pilot" for routine tasks. Examine how best to take advantage of the DBMaint utility to automate your backups and reorgs. Take a look at how to configure your alerts and operators to get proper notifications when events occur. Examine administering proper security, testing your restores, and routine performance monitoring/tuning. Examine resources to help you diagnose problems as they occur on your SQL Servers.

 

SQL Server Replication

Learn the different technologies that SQL Server 2000 has to replicate data. This session explores the various methods of replication, including snapshot, transactional and merge replication. Youll explore the various scenarios that work well for replication, as well as those where replication is not well suited.

 

SQL Server High Availability

SQL Server 2000 is an incredibly reliable piece of software, but do you have a plan for when disaster strikes? This session explores the various methods you can use to keep SQL Server up, no matter what. Youll examine the concepts and differences between hot, warm and cold backup solutions. Technologies examine will include clustering, where multiple computers are used to operate shared databases, and log shipping, where backup databases are continuously updated from a master database.

 

SQL Security

Protect your data! This session examines how to secure a SQL Server database. Youll examine the difference between authentication and permissions, and look at the various models available for controlling who can do what to your database. See how to protect your database down to individual rows of data, as well as at the table and stored procedure level.

 

 

Day 4

 

 

Access to SQL Server Migration

When Access mdb's hit their limit of scalability, corrupting too often and unable to handle the number of concurrent users required, it's time to upsize to SQL Server. But upsizing your application involves a lot more than running the Upsizing Wizard...

This session will demonstrate what changes to make to your application before running the Upsizing Wizard and what to do after. You will be walked through development tools, application interface changes, query design and stored procedures to bring scalability for more users. You'll begin by learning how to:
 

  • Maximise the benefits of MS SQL server in your application

  • Upsize MS Access applications to MS SQL Server/MSDE while maintaining the user interface in Access

  • Design efficient applications for MS SQL Server

  • Weigh up when to use the new ADP Access 2000 option as opposed to link tables

  • Move processes to stored procedures (action queries) and views

  • Use triggers for de-normalised fields

     

    SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services

    Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services Exposed!

    January 27th, 2004 Microsoft released the exciting new Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services. Be among the first to learn how this powerful new reporting platform will change the landscape of enterprise reporting.  Adam will show off the developer features of this latest addition to the Microsoft SQL Server family of products. You will see real world examples of this server-based platform when used for creating, managing, and delivering both traditional, paper-oriented reports and interactive, Web-based reports. Reporting Services combines the data management capabilities of SQL Server and Microsoft Windows Server with familiar and powerful Microsoft Office System applications to deliver real-time information to support daily operations and decisions.

     

     

    Combining Exchange Data, SQL Data and SQL Reporting

    Come see a code packed session that will show how to extend the out-of-the box features of Reporting Services. Everyone who has an Exchange Server 2000/2003 should be reporting on it but nobody does it. Following this, we will explore the creation of a real Reporting Services solution. You will learn about the important issues of security, data access, rendering, and delivery. We will also discuss the deployment issues of an application that requires Reporting Services. Sample code is provided so that you use this useful solution.

     

    Our Favorite Tips, Tricks and 3rd Party Tools

    In the closing session, Adam and Richard will share their favorite techniques and tools used to keep administer SQL Server, as well as simplifying and speeding development.

    Let someone else's hard work save you time. See reviews some of the best SQL Server tools on the market from Red-Gate, Lecco, Embarcadero, FMS and others.