Microsoft Unveils Enterprise OLAP Features for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 14, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. today unveiled the final feature set and additional ISV support for Microsoft® SQL Server
™
OLAP Services, formerly code-named
“Plato,”
which will make Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 an ideal platform for full-featured, enterprise-class OLAP solutions when the software debuts later this year.

The new features, write-back, member properties and distributed query resolution, enable powerful enterprise financial and budgeting applications, extend analysis capabilities and provide an efficient and highly scalable architecture. These features enhance Microsoft’s integrated data warehousing strategy, which provides a broad range of customers with the robust analytical framework needed to make better business decisions.

“Microsoft is delivering on its commitment to provide best-in-class business intelligence capabilities,”
said Jim Ewel, director of Microsoft SQL Server marketing at Microsoft.
“The feedback we’ve received from our customers and partners confirms that the features we are delivering in Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 will meet the requirements of the most demanding analytical applications.”

Eight industry-leading ISVs responded by announcing their product plans for Microsoft SQL Server OLAP Services and the OLE DB for OLAP interface, joining eight vendors who have already announced compatible products with the recent release of Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 beta 3. Supporting products are being announced by Business Objects, Broadbase, Decisionism Inc., IQ Software Corp., Portola Dimensional Systems, Maximal Innovative Intelligence Ltd., PowerPlan Corp. and arcplan Inc. The ISVs provide a wide range of products for query, reporting, visualization, data mining and system management.

“Business Objects is committed to delivering enterprise decision support tools, and now with support for Microsoft SQL Server OLAP Services, we can provide analysis and reporting on top of all enterprise OLAP solutions,”
said Dave Kellogg, group vice president of corporate marketing at Business Objects.
“With Microsoft’s coupling of high-end functionality and excellent usability, Business Objects customers will be able to take full advantage of the increased availability of OLAP solutions in the enterprise.”

Features Include Write-Back, Member Properties, Distributed Query Resolution

The new features will be available in the final version of Microsoft SQL Server 7.0, due to ship in the final quarter of 1998. They include the following:

  • Write-back. Microsoft has implemented write-back in Microsoft SQL Server OLAP Services with full transactional semantics and robust multiuser concurrency. This takes advantage of the hybrid architecture and partitioning in Microsoft SQL Server OLAP Service and uses the relational database to manage the transaction. Write-back provides ISVs and customer applications with the ability to perform financial budgeting and forecasting, as well as
    “what-if”
    analysis.

  • Member properties. Member Properties enable users to query additional information stored in multidimensional OLAP cubes. These properties can be used just like regular dimensions to filter and sort OLAP data and to execute advanced calculations, but can also be created dynamically by end users, allowing for richer, more sophisticated analysis.

  • Distributed query resolution. The distributed query resolution feature balances query activity between clients and servers, thereby increasing performance, minimizing network traffic and reducing server activity. This feature now fully supports server-side computations, automatically selecting where they are best executed, based on the size and complexity of the data. This delivers to users the best possible performance for a wide range of OLAP queries, without creating an administrative burden for OLAP application developers.

Created by a world-class development team, Microsoft SQL Server is the leading Windows NTServer operating system-based database, bringing business advantage and improved decision-making to all levels of the organization through the power of data warehousing, industry solutions and interoperability with Microsoft Office. Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 enables independent software vendors and customers to build and deploy scalable database solutions for e-commerce, line of business, mobile computing and data warehousing. Microsoft SQL Server is also a member of the Microsoft BackOffice family, a comprehensive, integrated suite of servers that makes it easy to build, manage and deploy powerful business solutions.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

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Microsoft SQL Server Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/backoffice/sql/

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