Designing a Cube

Overview

Using BIDS, after the DSV is developed, the next step is to create dimensions. Dimensions are of two types: Database Dimensions and Cube Dimensions. Database dimensions can be perceived as a master template, and Cube dimensions can be perceived as instances / children of this master template.

We will start our development with the creation of database dimensions. If you consider a dimension as a table, all the fields in this table can be perceived as attributes. Hierarchy in a dimension is a group of attributes logically related to each other with a defined cardinality. Finally we will create a cube using the dimensions we just developed, and fact tables to create dimensions (cube dimensions) and measure groups (from fact tables).