1. SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
-
Introduction to SSIS: Understanding SSIS architecture, its role in ETL processes, and various data integration tasks.
-
SSIS Tools and Environment: Working with SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) (formerly Business Intelligence Development Studio or BIDS) to develop and manage SSIS packages.
-
Control Flow: Designing the workflow of packages using tasks (e.g., Execute SQL Task, File System Task, Data Flow Task) and precedence constraints.
-
Data Flow: Implementing the core ETL process with data flow sources (e.g., flat files, OLE DB), destinations (e.g., OLE DB, Excel), and various transformations (e.g., Aggregate, Sort, Conditional Split, Lookup).
-
Variables and Expressions: Making packages dynamic and flexible using variables, parameters, and expressions.
-
Debugging, Error Handling, and Logging: Implementing techniques for debugging packages, handling errors, configuring logging, and using event handlers for robust solutions.
-
Deployment and Administration: Deploying packages to the SSIS Catalog (SSISDB), managing package execution, and configuring security.
2. SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)
-
Introduction to SSAS and Data Warehousing: Understanding the need for analytical applications, OLTP vs. OLAP concepts, and the role of data warehouses.
-
Dimensional Modeling: Designing data warehouse schemas using dimensional modeling (star and snowflake schemas) and understanding facts and dimensions.
-
Cube Creation and Configuration: Creating and configuring cubes and dimensions in SSAS using SSAS tools.
-
Measures and Measure Groups: Working with measures (facts) and measure groups for data analysis.
-
Multidimensional Expressions (MDX): Learning to write MDX queries to retrieve and manipulate data from cubes.
-
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Actions, and Perspectives: Customizing cube functionality with KPIs, actions, perspectives, and translations.
-
Tabular Models and DAX: Working with tabular models and Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) for creating calculated columns and measures.
-
SSAS Administration: Implementing security, deploying and synchronizing databases, and performing backup and restore operations.
3. SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
-
Introduction to SSRS and Reporting: Understanding SSRS architecture, its role in creating reports, and different report types and formats.
-
Report Design with Report Designer and Report Builder: Using SSRS tools (Report Designer in SSDT and Report Builder) to create various reports.
-
Data Sources and Datasets: Connecting to data sources, defining datasets, and joining multiple datasets for report creation.
-
Report Layout and Formatting: Designing the layout of reports, adding tables, matrices, charts, images, and formatting with expressions.
-
Parameters and Filters: Implementing parameters to create dynamic reports and using filters to restrict data in reports.
-
Advanced Reporting Features: Working with advanced features like subreports, drill-down and drill-through functionality, and document maps.
-
Deployment and Delivery: Deploying reports to the Report Server, configuring subscriptions, and managing report delivery options.
-
SSRS Security: Securing the Reporting Services environment, assigning users to roles, and setting permissions on report items.
4. Data warehousing concepts
-
Introduction to Data Warehousing: Understanding the purpose of data warehouses and their role in Business Intelligence.
-
Data Warehouse Architecture: Exploring concepts like OLTP and OLAP, ETL processes, and the differences between data warehouses and data marts.
-
Dimensional Modeling: Designing dimensions and fact tables, understanding granularity, and working with slowly changing dimensions.
5. Other topics
-
Power BI Integration: Integrating Power BI with MSBI for advanced data visualization and analysis.
-
Real-World Projects and Case Studies: Applying MSBI concepts to practical scenarios and building end-to-end BI solutions.