microsoft.public.sqlserver.server - sqlserver 2000 and analysis manager

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sqlserver 2000 and analysis manager

Eder Fred

2002-11-27, 9:23 am

Hi!

I have sqlserver 2000 and analysis manager on a windows 2000 server running.

My question:
what is the advantage of using tools like cognos, proclarity ... on client
computers against using excel pivot tables oer analysis manager on the
client computer?
which such tools would you suggest me?
I want also that some of my client computer users can make new cubes, change
cubes. Is there a other possibility than installing analysis manager on
every client computer?
Other users should only work with the cubes (make drill throughs..). Is
there also an other possibility than excel an pivot tables?

Thanks!

Jacco Schalkwijk

2002-11-28, 8:23 am

Hi Fred,

Using Analysis Manager as a client tool is not a good idea. The data browser
in Analysis Manager has a limitation for the number of rows and columns it
can display, and it is not very user friendly anyway.

I don't have a complete overview of what cognos, proclarity etc can do, but
they definitly have a lot more possibilities than Excel. They also are not
cheap.
If you want something else, there is the Analysis Service Thin Web Client in
the Resource Kit, which we are using in a modifed version at the moment, and
there is Microsoft Data Analyzer.

I would not give users the opportunity to create cubes themselves, unless
they really know what they are doing. It is all pretty complex.

Jacco

"Eder Fred" <fred.eder@firemail.de> wrote in message
news:1038408890.72840@news.liwest.at...
> Hi!
>
> I have sqlserver 2000 and analysis manager on a windows 2000 server
running.
>
> My question:
> what is the advantage of using tools like cognos, proclarity ... on client
> computers against using excel pivot tables oer analysis manager on the
> client computer?
> which such tools would you suggest me?
> I want also that some of my client computer users can make new cubes,
change
> cubes. Is there a other possibility than installing analysis manager on
> every client computer?
> Other users should only work with the cubes (make drill throughs..). Is
> there also an other possibility than excel an pivot tables?
>
> Thanks!
>
>

Jérôme Poudou

2002-11-30, 11:23 am

Using a specialized application in front of a MS OLAP cube is more
efficient.
Generally these applications propose so many features like calculated
measures, set creation etc...
Actually the pivottable in Excel can't do this and the admin console can't
do this (except in the edition of a cube himself)
Choosing the right tool is not an easy task. If you can, download some demo
software to compare these products and ask your users about what particular
tasks to accomplish.

Allowing your users to create an OLAP cube is not a good idea.
But you can create small and simple cube with MS Query in Excel.
This tool allow your users to create an SQL command on a database and put
the result in a local .CUB file (olap cube)

Also, you can look at the intelligent4excel plugin. This tool is a good
front end for your OLAP cubes and it an creates local cube files with a good
wizard and good options. Go to the intelligent4apps website and download the
demo.

"Eder Fred" <fred.eder@firemail.de> a écrit dans le message de news:
1038408890.72840@news.liwest.at...
> Hi!
>
> I have sqlserver 2000 and analysis manager on a windows 2000 server
running.
>
> My question:
> what is the advantage of using tools like cognos, proclarity ... on client
> computers against using excel pivot tables oer analysis manager on the
> client computer?
> which such tools would you suggest me?
> I want also that some of my client computer users can make new cubes,
change
> cubes. Is there a other possibility than installing analysis manager on
> every client computer?
> Other users should only work with the cubes (make drill throughs..). Is
> there also an other possibility than excel an pivot tables?
>
> Thanks!
>
>

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