4. Example of two-dimensional query.
▪ What is the total revenue generated by property sales in
each city, in each quarter of 2004?’
Choice of representation is based on types of
queries end-user may ask.
4
6. Example of three-dimensional query.
‘What is the total revenue generated by property
sales for each type of property (Flat or House) in
each city, in each quarter of 2004?’
6
8. A subset of highly interrelated data that is
organized to allow users to combine any
attributes in a cube (e.g., stores, products,
customers, suppliers) with any metrics in the
cube (e.g., sales, profit, units, age) to create
various two-dimensional views, or slices, that
can be displayed on a computer screen
8
9. Cube represents data as cells in an array.
Relational table only represents multi-
dimensional data in two dimensions.
9
10. Use multi-dimensional structures to store
data and relationships between data.
Multi-dimensional structures are best
visualized as cubes of data, and cubes within
cubes of data. Each side of a cube is a
dimension.
A cube can be expanded to include other
dimensions.
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11. A cube supports matrix arithmetic.
Multi-dimensional query response time
depends on how many cells have to be added
‘on the fly’.
As number of dimensions increases, number
of the cube’s cells increases exponentially.
11
12. However, majority of multi-dimensional
queries use summarized, high-level data.
Solution is to pre-aggregate (consolidate) all
logical subtotals and totals along all
dimensions.
12
13. Pre-aggregation is valuable, as typical
dimensions are hierarchical in nature.
(e.g. Time dimension hierarchy - years, quarters,
months, weeks, and days)
Predefined hierarchy allows logical pre-
aggregation and, conversely, allows for a
logical ‘drill-down’.
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14. Supports common analytical operations
Consolidation
Drill-down
Slicing and dicing
Pivoting
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15. Consolidation - aggregation of data such as
simple ‘roll-ups’ or complex expressions
involving inter-related data.
Drill-Down - is the reverse of consolidation and
involves displaying the detailed data that
comprises the consolidated data.
The investigation of information in detail (e.g.,
finding not only total sales but also sales by region, by
product, or by salesperson). Finding the detailed
sources.
15
17. Slicing and Dicing: refers to the ability to look at the data
from different viewpoints.
dice: to cut into small cubes
slice: A section of an cube selected by specifying its lower and
upper limits
slice(color,mes)
dice(color)
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18. Pivoting:
Pivot deals with presentation
Choose some dimensions X1, . . . ,Xi to appear
on x and some dims Y1, . . . ,Yj to appear on y.
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19. Can store data in a compressed form by dynamically
selecting physical storage organizations and compression
techniques that maximize space utilization.
Dense data (that is, data that exists for a high percentage of
cells) can be stored separately from sparse data (that is, a
significant percentage of cells are empty).
19
20. Ability to omit empty or repetitive cells can
greatly reduce the size of the cube and the
amount of processing.
Allows analysis of exceptionally large
amounts of data.
20
21. In summary, pre-aggregation, dimensional
hierarchy, and sparse data management can
significantly reduce the size of the cube and
the need to calculate values ‘on-the-fly’.
Removes need for multi-table joins and
provides quick and direct access to arrays of
data, thus significantly speeding up
execution of multi-dimensional queries.
21
22. Efraim Turban. Business Intelligence. Prentice
Hall.2008.