Cube or OLAP cube, is a method of storing data in a multidimensional form, generally for reporting purposes. In OLAP cubes, data (measures) are categorized by dimensions. OLAP cubes are often pre-summarized across dimensions to drastically improve query time over relational databases. Used on the SQL server family of products.
An OLAP cube or just a cube, is a method of storing data in a multidimensional form, generally for reporting purposes. In OLAP cubes, data (measures) are categorized by dimensions. OLAP cubes are often pre-summarized across dimensions to drastically improve query time over relational databases. The query language used to interact and perform tasks with OLAP cubes is multidimensional expressions (MDX). The MDX language has been adopted by many vendors of multidimensional databases.
Although it stores data like a relational database does, an OLAP cube is structured very differently. OLAP cubes, however, are used by business users for advanced analytics.
Operations
- Slicing - the act of picking a rectangular subset of a cube by choosing a single value for one of its dimensions, creating a new cube with one fewer dimension.
- Dicing - producing a subcube by allowing the analyst to pick specific values of multiple dimensions.
- Drill-up and drill-down - allowing the user to navigate among levels of data ranging from the most summarized (up) to the most detailed (down).
- Roll-up: A roll-up involves summarizing the data along a dimension.
- Pivoting - allows an analyst to rotate the cube in space to see its various faces.
