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Unit 7: Business Analytics and Data Visualization

ceremony for acquisition of OLAP was held in 2007. Oracle also released its own system called Notes
Essbase using the OLAP theoretical background and functionality. In the year of 1998 the Microsoft
stepped in for upgrading and advancement in the OLAP technology .Microsoft worked on the
mainstream idea and developed highly advanced online analytical system that is deployed in
many large organizations today.

7.2.2 How OLAP Works

Online analytical processing use multidimensional model for processing an executing the given
queries online the entire database hierarchical system is derived from the attached resources
such as relational database from record keeping. It follows they cubic structure created by the
star schema. The output is communicated in the form of the matrix first to the system and then
to the ad hoc query makers. The programming structure and processing of online analytical
systems are complexes the whole working. Typical knowledge is required fro dealing with
these kinds of systems.

7.2.3 Types of OLAP

There are several types of the online analytical systems each with the different properties
according to the level of use.

Multi-dimensional OLAP

Multi-dimensional OLAP is also called as MOLAP in short it’s a classic type of leading online
analytical systems. Instead of storing the data in relational form, it has the ability to store data
in the multi-dimensional array that is highly optimized. This makes the data storage more
efficient and quick. For keeping the data in the multi-dimensional array the MOLAP require pre
processing and certain computational functions built in the internal cubic structure this
computation is known as processing.

Relational OLAP

Another type of the online analytical processing models is relational OLAP which is also known
as ROLAP in short. This works similar to the relational database as and store the information in
the form of rows and columns in the particular sequence serialized by address. Base tables are
created at the deep database and the new tables which are created by the users are aggregated to
connect the data in meaningful way. This type of OLAP is used in the situations where data
manipulation is frequently required which may involve slicing and dicing of the stored
information. All the functions and structured language queries are applicable in relational
OLAP. Data modifications can be performed by using WHERE clause in combination with sql
statements.

Hybrid OLAP

The third type of the online analytical processing is the hybrid OLAP systems that aggregates
the properties of both relational and multi dimensional OLAPs. It is also known as HOLAP in
short .Hybrid OLAP divides the total data between the relational database and the specialized
storage area for storing important data elements. This type is typically used by the large
organization particularly the vendor and manufacturer. For instance for some vendors HOLAP
serves as the central systems for partitioning the large amount of data into relational form and
then use small aggregation functions to connect the smaller data stored in the special storage
area. The data stored in the special storage is less detailed.

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