Data warehouses have evolved to cope with the huge volumes of data flowing through the workplace by separating the data used for reporting and decision making from the operational systems. The purpose of the data warehouse is simply to store the raw data, and in combination with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services, this data can be transformed into accessible information that reflects the real factors affecting the enterprise.

In this book, we introduce the key concepts of data warehousing, OLAP, and data mining. In addition to coverage of Data Transformation Services (DTS) and MDX, this book also demonstrates how to develop an Analysis Services client application, and how to secure and optimize your data warehouse. There is also an in-depth discussion of the exciting new topic of Web Housing.

By reading this book, you will learn how best to employ data warehousing and OLAP in your business, and how to leverage it to provide your organization with improved revenue and profitability.