SSAS 2008 Katmai Change Summary - What is new
Microsoft released SQL Server 2008 in August 2008. This page contains list of Analysis Services (SSAS) changes comparing to SQL Server Analysis Services 2005 version.
Here is the list of what is new in Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services 2008 (Katmai) comparing with 2005 version:
| Change Description | Link to more info | |
| Real time best practice design warnings. The warnings are implemented in AMO, exposed in the UI via blue squiggly lines, and can be dismissed individually (a single occurrence) or turned off all together. To disable/re-enable build project and then in the warning window select warning message and right mouse click to choose to disable or enable. | Blog | |
| New dimension design wizard. | ||
| New cube design wizard. | ||
| Attribute relationship tab in dimension designer. Allows easier to define and understand attribute relationship. | Blog | |
| CREATE MEMBER syntax extensions to support defining caption, display folders and associated measure group. | Blog | |
| CREATE SET syntax extensions to support defining caption and display foders as well as the ability to define dynamic named sets. | Blog | |
| CREATE KPI command will be added | Blog | |
| Backup performance improvements. In SSAS 2005 backup time for big databases grew exponentially. In SSAS 2008 backup time grow is linear. Redesigned backup storage will remove backup size limists. | Blog | |
| Writeback to MOLAP. Analysis Services 2008 removes the requirement to query ROLAP partitions when performing writebacks, which results in huge performance gains. | ||
| Scale-out Analysis Services. A single read-only copy of an Analysis Services database can be shared between many Analysis Servers through a virtual IP address. This creates a highly scalable deployment option for an Analysis Services solution. | Documentation Blog | |
| UPDATE MEMBER new statement. The UPDATE MEMBER statement updates an existing calculated member while preserving the relative precedence of this member with respect to other calculations. Therefore, you cannot use the UPDATE MEMBER statement to change SOLVEORDER. An UPDATE MEMBER statement cannot be specified in the MDX script for a cube. | Blog | |
| Block computation. Block computation eliminates unnecessary aggregation calculations (for example, when the values to be aggregated are NULL) and provides a significant improvement in analysis cube performance, which enables users to increase the depth of their hierarchies and complexity of computations. | Documentation | |
| Aggregation Designer changes. Algorithm that builds aggregations will be improved, there will be support for manual edit/create/delete of aggregations and we should be able to see what aggregates were designed. Also aggregation designer will have built-in validations for optimal design assistance. | Blog Blog Blog | |
| Data Management Views (DMV).These DMVs will allow to write SELECT type statements against SSAS instance to get performance and statistics information. | ||
| SSAS database attach/detach. | Blog | |
| Analysis Services Personalization Extensions. Analysis Services personalization extensions enable developers to create new Analysis Services objects and functionality and to provide these objects and functionality dynamically in the context of the user session. | Blog | |
| New button in BIDS studio to show hidden objects in calculation tab | Blog | |
| Cube wizard now allows to create an empty cube | Blog | |
| IIF function now accepts query hints Eager | Strict: Iif( <condition>, <then branch> [hint [Eager|Strict]], <else branch> [hint [Eager | Strict]] ) | Blog | |
| Ability to define CREATE SUBCUBE and subselects in non visual mode | Blog | |