Preparing Data for Your Ready-Made Applications

Introducing Distributed Multidimensional Metadata

Distributed Multidimensional Metadata is the HOLAP extension of the SAS/MDDB Server. The metadata can be exported into the SAS/EIS metadata facility as a HOLAP registration and reported in the SAS/EIS metabase facility. It enables you to define metadata for data that is spread across different data sources. You can choose the optimal data storage type and location for your application, reuse work that has already been done, and find the right machine on the network to deliver the results you need.

Distributed Multidimensional Metadata gives you many options in regard to OLAP data storage. Distributing data among multiple data sources enables you to overcome the limits of any one data source. For example, the two-gigabyte limit for a subcube within an MDDB is not an issue with Distributed Multidimensional Metadata.

Distributed Multidimensional Metadata enables you to access relational and multidimensional data structures to retrieve information that is requested by a multidimensional viewer in SAS/EIS software. Your data can be a mixture of SAS tables, SAS views, and MDDBs, which are stored either locally or remotely.

The benefits of Distributed Multidimensional Metadata include the following:

a single access strategy for all data exploitation technologies
greater flexibility and scalability via distributed and segregated data
increased performance via compute server and caching
easy integration into existing SAS/EIS technology
easier customization of data processing.

A specific application uses one Data Group to describe its data. A Data Group is the logical name for a set of data sources that are closely related in that their class and analysis variables have common structures and meanings. For example, a Data Group can be a single MDDB, a set of MDDBs, or a table on a server, plus one remote MDDB and one local MDDB.

Refer to the SAS OLAP Server Administrator's Guide, Release 8.1 for more information on creating and using HOLAP data access.

Accessing the Distributed Multidimensional Metadata Windows

The Distributed Multidimensional Metadata windows enable users (most likely System Administrators) to input all of the required information to define the metadata that is related to a particular OLAP application. To access the Distributed Multidimensional Metadata windows, type the MDMDDB command on a SAS command line.

You can also access this interface from within SAS/EIS software. In the Metabase window, select Edit Distributed Multidimensional Metadata.

Note: The Distributed Multidimensional Metadata windows do not prepare data. This windows enable you to define the metadata and its storage location. [cautionend]

For more information about the Distributed Multidimensional Metadata interface, click Help in the window.

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