October 8, 2012 at 8:53 am
The only people who know the future of SQL Server are the dev team (and maybe not even them). SSIS, SSRS and SSAS part of SQL 2012. If you're working in BI and using them, the training won't be a waste. What will we be using in 5 years time, well no one honestly knows that.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
October 8, 2012 at 8:59 am
dflbob (10/8/2012)
I appreciate your input but I'm not really asking to be guided; just what's the better path as I thought it's pretty clear I'm in the SQL/BI world which is why I am asking about the future relevance of SSIS, SSAS and SSRS in the context of SQL 2008 vs. SQL 2012.I now understand (hopefully correctly) that SSIS, SSAS and SSRS are still core to SQL Server/BI. So, my plan would be to get the cert in 2008 then upgrade to 2012 in time. Also, I believe I saw on the Microsoft site that recertification (renewal) for MCSE is required every two years; if that's correct, then ongoing training is part of the program.
If I'm incorrect on SSIS, SSAS and SSRS, please let me know as I'd like to not spend the time and money if they are not part of the future for SQL Server.
Thanks.
I stand corrected then.
As far as I know, SSIS, SSAS and SSRS are core parts of SQL Servers BI Stack and should remain so going forward.
October 8, 2012 at 9:28 am
Thank you for your assistance - I really do appreciate it. For us newbies, the Microsoft Maze can be daunting.
October 9, 2012 at 3:01 am
I think its fair to say that SSIS, SSRS (in one form or another eg, Powerview), and SSAS (Tabular/Olap) will be around for the next 2-3 revisions.
SSAS is partuicularly interesting as its has two flavours though the next 2-3 revisions of SQL server are likely to see these flavours start to blur and the two become even more closely aligned with the next logical step being the integration of DAX into OLAP, and maybe some of the features of OLAP (Many-Many relationships, Parent Child) going back into Tabular.
To replace SSIS they are going to need to rewite a lot of the underlying libraries that are still in the DTS namespace, but thats one hell of a code base change and its a significant breaking change unless they put wrappers round it to alias the DTS namespace.
But as Gail says, the only people that know the future are the dev team that are working on the next version, and the business planners that are taking a longview trying to predict what people will want in want 5-10 years.
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SSC Guide to Posting and Best Practices
October 9, 2012 at 8:03 am
Two flavors of SSAS? Would you elucidate?
October 9, 2012 at 8:32 am
In 2012 SSAS come in two versions, the first is the standard OLAP variety that has been in place since SQL2005. The second is the Tabular model, that is based on the Vertipac system that MS aquired.
(Technically theres a third Power Pivot but we wont go down that route).
In effect Tabular is meant to give more power to users to build and query data without the need to go through the same complex development cycle that you would with a standard cube.
The main differences are the way data is stored and accessed, primarily Tabular is an in memory storage engine so exceptionally quick but memory heavy, where as traditional OLAP solutions tend to be heavier on Disk usage which is slower.
The other main difference is the query language in Tabular its called DAX and is more readable and understandable to the end user, in OLAP its MDX which can be a bit of a mind bender even for experienced coders.
There are as always reasons why you would use one over the other, and most of the time it will come down to the complexity of the solution you need to deliver, Complex Many-Many Currency rules are a problem in Tabular, you also cant currently do Parent child hierarchies, theres no ability to have ragged Hierarchies etc.
As an example I blew a server with 256GB memory simply by trying to do a complex currency conversion, the processed Tabular model itsself sits in ~8GB yet the complexity of the cross join was such that when running the calculation it ran out of memory, but the OLAP solution runs perfectly on an 8GB server.
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SSC Guide to Posting and Best Practices
October 9, 2012 at 8:48 am
I run SQL 2008 presently, what flavor(s) of SSAS will I encounter there?
October 9, 2012 at 9:03 am
You'll just get the standard OLAP version of SSAS.
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SSC Guide to Posting and Best Practices
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