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Understanding Microsoft OLAP Logical Architecture

  • Article

Applies to: SQL Server Analysis Services Azure Analysis Services Fabric/Power BI Premium

Microsoft SQL Server SQL Server Analysis Services uses both server and client components to supply online analytical processing (OLAP) and data mining functionality for business intelligence applications:

  • The server component of SQL Server Analysis Services is implemented as a Microsoft Windows service. SQL Server SQL Server Analysis Services supports multiple instances on the same computer, with each instance of SQL Server Analysis Services implemented as a separate instance of the Windows service.

  • Clients communicate with SQL Server Analysis Services using the public standard XML for Analysis (XMLA), a SOAP-based protocol for issuing commands and receiving responses, exposed as a Web service. Client object models are also provided over XMLA, and can be accessed either by using a managed provider, such as ADOMD.NET, or a native OLE DB provider.

  • Query commands can be issued using the following languages: SQL; Multidimensional Expressions (MDX), an industry standard query language for analysis; or Data Mining Extensions (DMX), an industry standard query language oriented toward data mining. Analysis Services Scripting Language (ASSL) can also be used to manage SQL Server Analysis Services database objects.

SQL Server Analysis Services also supports a local cube engine that enables applications on disconnected clients to browse locally stored multidimensional data. For more information, see Client Architecture Requirements for Analysis Services Development

In This Section

Logical Architecture Overview
Logical Architecture Overview (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data)

Server Objects
Server Objects (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data)

Database Objects
Database Objects (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data)

Dimension Objects
Dimension Objects (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data)

Cube Objects
Cube Objects (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data)

User Access Security
User Access Security Architecture

See Also

Understanding Microsoft OLAP Architecture
Physical Architecture (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data)