"Best Practices" for UDM on OLTP?

Are there particular things you should do when putting the UDM on top of an OLTP schema? I've been trying to do this, but can't get the cube or dimensions to build. Just wondering if I'm missing something or if this "feature" really exists.

This is very open question. You should try and look for some book or training about data warehousing and OLAP.

Here is some information for you: http://www.kimballgroup.com/html/books.html

Edward.
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Sorry, let me clarify. I'm pretty well versed with dimensional modeling. However, I'm specifically looking for information on using the SSAS 2005 UDM on top of an OLTP schema. For instance, what are the "gotcha's" and how far away can you get from the dimensional model with the UDM. Do you need to use the dimensional model, at the core of the UDM, then embellish your schema with OLTP tables? I guess I'm saying that a lot has been promised about bypassing ETL with the UDM and I'd like to know how much of that is really true. Again, I've tried to build a cube with the UDM directly sourcing from an OLTP schema, but I couldn't get anything to work. I'm currently researching the OLTP schema, since it's a dev schema and not a prod schema, so that might be the problem. I just want to make sure there aren't any other issues I should be aware of.

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In version 2005 Analysis Services greatly improved the ability for you to build multidimensional models, or unified dimensional models on top of variety relational schemas, OLTP included. Analysis Services allow for great modeling flexibility.

If the question is how easiy it is to map OLTP schema into multidimensional model, the answer is it: depends. It very much depends on the way OLTP schema is stuctured. It very much depends on how much of the relational schema you would like to see in UDM.

Also depends on how clean the data in OLTP is. If you allow for inconsistencies or your legacy system. If your OLTP system has been through several interations of tweaks and upgrades, you will need to have an ETL process to clean it up. In some cases there is no way around it.

In short, AS2005 is very flexible and poweful, but with flexibility comes the danger of creating wrong design. Try and use Analysis Services to create a simple UDM's first. Take a look at the best practices. Test your UDM see if you getting the right answers...

Hope that helps:

Edward.
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This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

|||Where can I find ANY tutorial on using UDM methodology - Against AdventureWorks or other?