OLAP on SQL Express

Question

I'm wondering if there is any desktop OLAP solution that can use SQL Express (and therefore does not require Analysis Services)

I've been tasked with finding a way to allow our customers to do 'Ad-Hoc' reports, but the vast majority of them are on Sql Express, In previous jobs, customers have had Analysis Services and typically Cognos or Crystal Reports, so all that was required was to design the cube.

Deel

Answer 1

SQL Express is pretty limited, I don't know of any OLAP capabilities.

Although, we use DevExpress OLAP Pivot Grid with ROLAP to get around this problem.

Just create a cube-like SQL query and plug it in.

SELECT productname, reasonforsale, salestotal
  FROM orderdetail

Mackinnon

That is the route I am currently looking at. Thanks – Deel

Answer 2

You can get editions of SQL server express with SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) this would allow you design reports without the expense of Crystal or Business objects.

Here is the link to the download page. Just select the option on the far right in either 32 or 64 bit flavour depending on what you are running

http://www.microsoft.com/express/Database/InstallOptions.aspx

Dynah

It's not so much the front end aspect of the reporting that we're having trouble with, its the allowing users to 'slice and dice'... and if I understand correctly, you can only do this with SSRS if you have Analysis Services too. (open to correction though) – Deel

Answer 3

There is PowerPivot Add-in for Excel. It is an ssas engine with in-memory storage and a powerful expression language called DAX that allows you to load all kinds of data sources and create model/s in Excel itself. It has an engine called Vertipaq that highly compresses the underlying data allowing millions of rows to be sliced and diced.

Regards, Hrvoje

Uganda

Answer 4

You can use icCube on the desktop to connect to SQL Express.

Fertilize

Answer 5

You can create your own .NET or Delphi application (Desktop or Web) imbedding RadarCube components of Direct edition.

The OlapCube component has a visual designer to create a cube structure (Dimensions, Hierarchies) and ROLAP engine to build cubes and process queries.

The OlapAnalysis component provides Visual Analysis tools with Pivot Grid/Chart functionality.

https://www.radar-soft.com/

Ensepulcher