Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012 Bible

1299

CHAPTER

58

Creating and Deploying BI

Semantic Models

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding BI Semantic Models

Creating and Extending BI Semantic Models Using PowerPivot and SQL Server Data Tools

Deploying BI Semantic Models to SharePoint

Deploying BI Semantic Models to an Analysis Services Instance

S

QL Server 2012 introduces a new Analysis Services engine based on the recently acquired

columnar database known as the xVelocity in-memory analytics engine (formerly known as

VertiPaq engine). This new engine provides the advantage of performing analysis over billions

of rows with subsecond response times. High volumes of data are kept and analyzed in memory

by this new engine due to its high data compression algorithms and its column-based storage.

Compression ratios range from 10x to 100x based on Microsoft’s benchmarks.

In SQL Server 2012, Analysis Services can be installed in either of two modes:

■ Multidimensional and Data Mining Mode

■ (^) Tabular Mode
Multidimensional and Data Mining Mode supports the traditional UDM Model that you may have
used in SQL Server 2005, 2008, and 2008R2. Tabular Mode runs the xVelocity engine and supports a
new data model known as the BI Semantic Model, sometimes referred to as the Tabular Model. This
new model does not replace the UDM Model. The UDM Model is still supported by SQL Server 2012
Analysis Services deployed in Multidimensional and Data Mining Mode. BI Semantic Models are
supported only by SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services deployed in Tabular Model.

What Is a BI Semantic Model?

The Business Intelligence Semantic Model is defi ned by Microsoft as one model for all user experi-

ences that includes reporting, analytics, scorecards, dashboards, and custom applications. It is a

rich, scalable, and fl exible model that can be viewed conceptually as a three-layer model.

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