DAX Optimizations: Write it like the DAX calls it
Optimization has become one of my favorite topics. OK, I’ll admit it: it might be an obsession and a source of joy. My inability to optimize (queries, data models, and DAX) used to be a source of headaches and the occasional heart attack depending on what I was trying to accomplish. I make no claim that I’m an optimization expert, but I’ve spent hours wondering and researching why a data model’s calculation time could go from a couple of seconds to many minutes. This is a rare occurrence, but when it has happened, it’s happened when I’ve been on the verge of something great. Of course, if you’re taking business intelligence to its edge, you’re not adding 2+2—you’re trying to give someone an answer they (and you) thought was impossible. A recalculation that takes many minutes (especially if you’re not the end-user) is unacceptable and may cause your data model to crash—fatal exceptions anyone?