Design, Build, and Manage High-Value BI Solutions with SQL Server 2005

In this book, two of Microsoft’s leading consultants illustrate how to use SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence (BI) technologies to solve real-world problems in markets ranging from retail and finance to healthcare. Drawing on extensive personal experience with Microsoft’s strategic customers, John C. Hancock and Roger Toren offer unprecedented insight into BI systems design and step-by-step best practices for implementation, deployment, and management.

Hancock and Toren introduce practical BI concepts and terminology and provide a concise primer on the Microsoft BI platform. Next, they turn to the heart of the book—constructing solutions. Each chapter-length case study begins with the customer’s business goals, and then guides you through detailed data modeling. The case studies show how to avoid the pitfalls that derail many BI projects. You’ll translate each model into a working system and learn how to deploy it into production, maintenance, and efficient operation.

Whether you’re a decision-maker, architect, developer, or DBA, this book brings together all the knowledge you’ll need to derive maximum business value from any BI project. 

     •  Leverage SQL Server 2005 databases, Integration Services, Analysis Services, and Reporting Services

     •  Build data warehouses and extend them to support very large databases

     •  Design effective Analysis Services databases

     •  Ensure the superior data quality your BI system needs

     •  Construct advanced enterprise scorecard applications

     •  Use data mining to segment customers, cross-sell, and increase the value of each transaction

     •  Design real-time BI applications

     •  Get hands-on practice with SQL Server 2005’s BI toolset

John C. Hancock is a Senior Consultant with Microsoft Consulting Services in

Toronto, Canada, specializing in Business Intelligence technologies. He has

worked with some of Microsoft’s largest and most strategic clients, and his consulting

experience has included architectural consulting, project team lead positions,

performance optimization, and development of customized training courses and

materials. Recently he has worked extensively in the field of intelligence systems

for law enforcement. Prior to Microsoft, he worked as an independent consultant in

the United Kingdom and South Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honors)

degree in mathematics and computer science.

Roger Toren is a Principal Consultant with MCS, based in Vancouver, Canada,

focusing on guiding customers in the design and implementation of Business Intelligence

solutions with SQL Server 2005. He was the lead author on the SQL Server

2000 High Availability guide. He has more than 35 years of experience in IT, covering

a wide variety of industries, including banking, insurance, retail, education,

health care, geo-spatial analysis, and nuclear research. He holds a Bachelor of Science

degree in physics and a Masters of Science degree in computing science. Prior

to joining Microsoft, he taught undergraduate courses in computing science,

worked as an independent consultant, and served as Associate Director in the technology

practice of a major global consulting firm.