Reporting Service vs UDM

I am new to both technologies and would has been reading UDM on how to create a cube. My orginal intention is to create cubes for efficient retrieval of data which ends up in reports managment in an application. Can anyone elaborates on how the reporting service differs from UDM? ( or what reporting services are?)I thought they are mutually exclusive?Thanks.

Regards

Alu

Does it mean that the report service generates reports from OLTP database if the UDM is not created? Does it mean UDM can work with reporting serivce which theortically speaking making the best of both if implemented?Thanks.

Regards

Alu

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UDM is actually the cube. You can design MDX/Cube-queries in Reporting Services and Report Builder. There is a graphical design tool in RS 2005.

It also possible to query a data warehouse, data mart or OLTP-system with TSQL queries. Reporting Services is not limited to SQL Server for SQL-queries. It will also work with Oracle and DB2.

The only OLAP-engine that is supported is Analysis Services.

HTH

Thomas Ivarsson

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I know that alot time decision to use SSRS with or without SSAS(UDM) and vice -versa depends on customer requirements. But generally speaking is there a general guidline on when to favour SSRS without/with SSAS and vice-versa?

Thanks.

Regards

Alu.

|||or rather which is the most common practice among the two combinations? ( with /without)|||

I think both approaches work. Cube-queries is normally about top level, aggregated information.

Relational queries(SQL) are normally leaf level.

OLAP cubes are less efficient with leaf level queries(long responstime) and relational queries(SQL) are less capable with top level queries(also long responstime)

In SSAS you can also relate these two worlds by using actions. An action in SSAS can point to a detailed report in Reporting Services.

It is also easier to create time caculations, like rolling 12 months, Year To Date and so on, in SSAS. You can write these calculation with less code in MDX than SQL will require.

HTH

Thomas Ivarsson

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Can i say that whether to use UDM or not depends on the type of reports customer would want?

Regards

Alu

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Yes. Thats my opinion. Most customers like both types of reports, leaf level and top level.

Regards

Thomas Ivarsson

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But even if thats does, to implement UDM ( if in the initial phase we dont even know if aggreate information is required in future)as well in the application does not harm right? :)

Regards

Alu

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UDM/the cube is a separate engine so it will not harm to build cubes.

Regards

Thomas Ivarsson

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Thanks alot!.

Regards

Alu