(OnLine Analytical Processing) Decision support software that allows the user to quickly analyze information that has been summarized into multidimensional views and hierarchies. OLAP tools are used to perform trend analysis on sales and financial information. They enable users to drill down into masses of sales statistics in order to isolate products that are the most volatile.
OLAP and MOLAP
Traditional OLAP products are also called "multidimensional OLAP" (MOLAP) because they summarize transactions into multidimensional views ahead of time. Data are organized into a cube structure that can be rotated by the user, which is particularly suited for financial summaries. Queries are fast because the consolidation has already been done.
Relational OLAP (ROLAP)
Relational OLAP tools extract data from relational databases. Using complex SQL statements against relational tables, ROLAP is able to create multidimensional views on the fly. ROLAP tends to be used on data that has a large number of attributes, where it cannot be easily placed into a cube structure. For example, customer data with numerous descriptive fields are typically ROLAP candidates, rather than financial data.
Database OLAP and Web OLAP (DOLAP and WOLAP)
A database OLAP refers to a relational DBMS that is designed to host OLAP structures and perform OLAP calculations. Web OLAP refers to OLAP data that is accessible from a Web browser. See MDX.
OLAP and MOLAP
Traditional OLAP products are also called "multidimensional OLAP" (MOLAP) because they summarize transactions into multidimensional views ahead of time. Data are organized into a cube structure that can be rotated by the user, which is particularly suited for financial summaries. Queries are fast because the consolidation has already been done.
Relational OLAP (ROLAP)
Relational OLAP tools extract data from relational databases. Using complex SQL statements against relational tables, ROLAP is able to create multidimensional views on the fly. ROLAP tends to be used on data that has a large number of attributes, where it cannot be easily placed into a cube structure. For example, customer data with numerous descriptive fields are typically ROLAP candidates, rather than financial data.
Database OLAP and Web OLAP (DOLAP and WOLAP)
A database OLAP refers to a relational DBMS that is designed to host OLAP structures and perform OLAP calculations. Web OLAP refers to OLAP data that is accessible from a Web browser. See MDX.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2008 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Guest post: An ode to the humble spreadsheet
- Guest blog: Bob Warfield has founded three startups, run R&D at Borland, developed software for Callidus and Oracle and created tools for Rational/Pure Atria. He currently works for SaaS customer service company Helpstream. He is responsible for Quattro Pro, the Borland spreadsheet, and is the inventor of the notebook tabs...
- Blog posts 2008-07-02
- Dynamics AX 2009: The 'Halo' for Microsoft's app platform
- Microsoft began rolling out to customers on June 2 the latest version of its high-end ERP application, Dynamics AX 2009. The latest Axapta release (also known as AX 5.0) has lots of new bells and whistles: A compliance center dashboard that displays all kinds of key performance...
- Blog posts 2008-06-02
- DB2 Maestro (exe)
- DB2 Maestro is a powerful Windows GUI solution for DB2 administration and database management. The software provides you with the ability to perform all the necessary database operations such as creating, editing, copying, and dropping of the database objects; you can also build queries visually, execute queries and SQL scripts,...
- Software downloads 2008-05-16
- PivotWebTable (zip)
- PivotWebTable is an interactive and easy-to-use ASP.NET OLAP analysis control that presents the OLAP cube in popular web browsers. It has the following powerful features.PivotWebTable supports popular web browsers such as Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.PivotWebTable has its own OLAP processing engine. It doesn't rely on any third party libraries...
- Software downloads 2008-05-05
- SH Electric Power Improves Data Analysis and Reporting With Integrated Data Warehouse
- The Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company SH Electric Power handles the transmission, distribution, and sale of electrical power in Shanghai. A major challenge under the Business Information BI project was to move the company's routine reporting function away from its production system database, which would reduce the load on the...
- Case studies 2008-05-01
- What's New in SAS Web Report Studio 4.2
- Web Report Studio is a web-based reporting tool with many capabilities added over the course of three major releases. The upcoming release adds many new features driven by requests from users. This paper organizes the key capabilities in Web Report Studio 4.2 into categories. Virtually all features affect the user...
- White papers 2008-03-24
- Controlling OLAP Applications End to End
- In SAS 9.2, there are several new features that help administrators to secure and control the use of OLAP Cubes in a reporting environment. This paper highlights the following new and existing features: ability to include or exclude members from aggregated values parent values, member Level Security user interface, subsetting...
- White papers 2008-03-24
- What's New in SAS OLAP Cube Studio 4.2
- With the release of SAS 9.2, new functionality and enhancements have been added to SAS OLAP Cube Studio 4.2. New features include the ability to: update a cube incremental update, view an input data set within SAS OLAP Cube Studio, view a cube to validate the build process, set cube...
- White papers 2008-03-24
- Microsoft Webcast Series for Lockheed Martin: What Aren't You Getting Out of SQL Server?
- People may be familiar with SQL Server as a data platform, but may be missing out on some powerful capabilities SQL Server has "Under the hood" - Extract, Transform, Load ETL engine; the leading OLAP engine; SQL Server Analysis Services provides a dimensional analysis capability that goes far beyond "Pivot...
- Webcasts 2008-03-20
- Avoid Growing Pains: New Cube Update Features You Should Know About
- After a SAS OLAP cube is created, it is possible to update the data for the cube without completely recreating it. The SAS 9.2 OLAP Server enables one to incrementally update SAS OLAP cubes. An incremental update involves adding cell data and members to an existing SAS OLAP cube. Incremental...
- White papers 2008-03-12
- AnySQL Maestro (exe)
- AnySQL Maestro is the premier multi-purpose admin tool for management, control and development of any database engine (SQL Server, MySQL, MS Access, and Oracle.) which is available via ODBC driver or OLE DB provider. The application allows you to design your database as ER diagram, build visually, edit and execute...
- Software downloads 2008-02-29
- About the Windows Server 2008 stack
- There's an old saying about the devil making work for idle hands - so there I was last week, feeling a little bored and idly clicking through a story both about and by some guy named Whitehorn who's going to blog an extensive development project based on the...
- Blog posts 2008-01-30
- 3-way Tangram (exe)
- 3-way TANGRAM is a self-help or survival OLAP. It caters for the business analyst who has no time and budget to install a major OLAP and yet must respond to requests in a time-scale of hours. It can handle any typical hypercube problem and features several innovative operations on hypercubes....
- Software downloads 2008-01-18
- XtraPivotGrid (exe)
- The XtraPivotGrid Suite is a comprehensive multi-dimensional OLAP data analysis, data mining, and visual reporting solution for WinForms applications. It was engineered from the ground up to provide a unique bridge between on-screen forms and printed reports. With it, your users can break down raw data in any manner they...
- Software downloads 2008-01-18
- RadarCube OLAP ASP.NET Direct (exe)
- RadarCube OLAP ASP.NET Direct is a fast, powerful and programmer-friendly ASP.NET OLAP library. Do you want an ASP.NET control for OLAP-Analysis? Do you want a powerful OLAP library without having to install any software or any ActiveX components on the client side? Do you want to provide your clients or...
- Software downloads 2008-01-10
- SQL Server 2005 for Business Intelligence
- View Available Dates and LocationsIn this instructor-led course, you'll learn to implement an Analysis Services solution in an organization. Learn to use the Analysis Services development tools to create an Analysis Services database and an OLAP cube, and learn to use the Analysis Services management and administrative tools to manage...
- Training 2008-01-01
- E.ON UK Cuts Reporting Time to Five Days and Saves Money Through Faster Reconciliation
- E.ON UK wanted to conduct complex analyses of six terabytes of customer billing and settlement data that increases by five to six million rows per day to gain insight into customers' gas and electricity use and leverage multidimensional analytical capabilities to ensure prompt reconciliation and identify over- or undercharging. The...
- Case studies 2008-01-01
- Using Oracle Business Intelligence Discoverer With the OLAP Option
- Oracle Business Intelligence Discoverer OracleBI Discoverer is a suite of business intelligence tools that enables users to query and analyze data stored in Oracle and other databases. Included as part of Oracle Business Intelligence 10g, OracleBI Discoverer complements the OLAP Option to Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition, which extends the...
- White papers 2007-12-01
- .NET ModelKit Suite (zip)
- .NET ModelKit Suite contains data analysis, visualization, and processing components for .NET Framework. The package includes OLAP ModelKit and Report Sharp-Shooter, the use-proven BI components intended for intelligent data handling and presentation; Instrumentation ModelKit, a tool for digital dashboards and KPI creation; and Chart ModelKit, a component for charts and...
- Software downloads 2007-11-22
- BI leader Cognos gets scooped up by IBM
- The thought on the street was that Cognos had to get bought soon, given the business intelligence BI consolidation land-grab of late -- punctuated by Oracle's acquisition of Hyperion and SAP's buy of Business Objects. So now Big Blue steps up to the plate, and for $5...
- Blog posts 2007-11-12
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Intel IT Data Center Efficiency Initiative - Going Green
-
"See how Intel is consolidating down to 8 global data center hubs through the use of consolidation, virtualization and standardization. The initiative is expected to save Intel $1.8B by project completion.
- See how Intel plans to save $1.8 billion >>
Ultraportables
- Understanding Ultraportable Laptops (BNET)
- Five steps to protect mobile devices anywhere, anytime (TechRepublic)
- View all ZDNet Toshiba laptop reviews
- From our sponsors
- Toshiba Satellite® U400 Series
-
- The ultra-portable, ultra-stylish Satellite® U405 is a smart choice for you and your small business. Only from the laptop expert, Toshiba. Explore the complete laptop lineup »
-
