I am a student in a data warehousing class. This is my only experience using
SQL Server 2005 BI ETL tools. I need to extract, transform, and load into a
data warehouse using SQL Server 2005. I've extracted all tables from my 3nf
d.b. into flat files using SSIS. My question is about the connection
between SSIS and SSAS, and how I create the time dimension (in SSAS?) and
then have it connect back to my process in SSIS so I can do the final load
into it.

I thought I could use SSIS for the entire ETL process. Now I'm discovering
I somehow need to bring in SSAS to define the dimensions and somehow finish
up in SSIS again.

I defined my source d.b. and final destination data warehouse in regular SQL
Server tables. Do I need to delete the final destination data warehouse
database and redefine it as dimensions in SSAS?

Any help on this is appreciated. If you even have a recommended tutorial
that would help as well.

Hello Laura,

there are a number of ways to skin this cat.

The way I usually do it is


Build a relational DB (Star Schema)
Build an SSAS Cube over the top of that schema.

Use SSIS to load up the relation DB


In 2K5 you also though can load the SSAS partitions and dimensions directly
through SSIS which is way cool.



--

Allan Mitchell
http://wiki.sqlis.com | http://www.sqlis.com | http://www.sqldts.com |
http://www.konesans.com

> I am a student in a data warehousing class. This is my only experience
> using SQL Server 2005 BI ETL tools. I need to extract, transform, and
> load into a data warehouse using SQL Server 2005. I've extracted all
> tables from my 3nf d.b. into flat files using SSIS. My question is
> about the connection between SSIS and SSAS, and how I create the time
> dimension (in SSAS?) and then have it connect back to my process in
> SSIS so I can do the final load into it.
>
> I thought I could use SSIS for the entire ETL process. Now I'm
> discovering I somehow need to bring in SSAS to define the dimensions
> and somehow finish up in SSIS again.
>
> I defined my source d.b. and final destination data warehouse in
> regular SQL Server tables. Do I need to delete the final destination
> data warehouse database and redefine it as dimensions in SSAS?
>
> Any help on this is appreciated. If you even have a recommended
> tutorial that would help as well.
>