Good Afternoon,

I want to learn about OLAP and DataWarehouse. In order to begin I bought
some books:

OLAP Solutions (Erik Thomsen).
Fast Track to MDX (Mark Whitehorn; Mosha Pasumansky; Robert Zare).
The Data Warehouse Toolkit (Second Edition. Ralph Kimball, Margy Ross).
The Data Warehouse ETL Toolkit (Ralph Kimball, Joe caserta)

I began with the book of OLAP Solutions (I am reading it at the moment).
Soon I want to begin with "Data Warehouse Toolkit". Later with "Data
Warehouse ETL Toolkit". Finally "Fast Track to MDX".

Is correct to follow this order?

Other books that i want to buy are:
Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services Step by Step (OLAP Train, Reed
Jacobson).
The Data Warehouse Lifecycle Toolkit : Expert Methods for Designing,
Developing, and Deploying Data Warehouses (Kimball).
MDX Solutions: With Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services (George Spofford).

It is necessary to buy these other books?
What else do i need? (Software, Computer Requirements, etc)
Am I on the right path?

Thanks

*Excuse my English. I read very well, but at the time of writing I am
terrible.

--
Lev Valenzuela

I would start with Ralph Kimball's DW Toolkit. It gives you the business and
logical data modelling background; then Fast Track;

OLAP Solutions is good; I like its concepts -- not unlike the DW Toolkit but
I think the DW Toolkit is better. The other book I would get is MDX
Solutions. It is the last one I would read, more detailed and needs more
background.

In parallel read the ETL Toolkit. It is on a different track than these.

-----------------------

The AS Step-by-Step is a good augment to BOL. If you need practice using AS.

The lifecycle toolkit book is not quite as good as the DW Toolkit. I would
get it last.

----------------------

Just my 2 cents.


--
Dave Wickert [MSFT]
dwickert (AT) online (DOT) microsoft.com
Program Manager
BI Systems Team
SQL BI Product Unit (Analysis Services)
--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


"Lev Valenzuela" <LevValenzuela (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

I have not read OLAP Solutions, but I would definitely read "Data
Warehouse Toolkit" next as it will give you a good, technology
independent view of dimensional modelling. And I would definitely leave
any MDX books until later, as they will be hard to understand otherwise.


If you are just doing Data Warehousing a book like "The Data Warehouse
Lifecycle Toolkit : Expert Methods for Designing, Developing, and
Deploying Data Warehouses (Kimball)." covers a lot of the softer
disciplines like requirements gathering and project management
approaches.

I think the books you already have should give you a reasonable
foundation. I would read the ones you already have and see if feel there
are any gaps in your knowledge after reading them.

Try and find a small project and build a few cubes. Don't get too
attached to them, be prepared to delete them and start again a few
times. No matter how much you read, nothing teaches you a lesson better
than your own mistakes.

HTH

--
Regards
Darren Gosbell [MCSD]
<dgosbell_at_yahoo_dot_com>
Blog: http://www.geekswithblogs.net/darrengosbell

Since you are compiling an amibitious reading list, you might wish to
consider waiting for AS 2005 versions of more advanced/detailed books,
which deal specifically with SQL Server OLAP technology. The more
generic data warehousing books can keep your attention till then -
unless you're in a hurry to first learn AS 2000, then embark on AS 2005
shortly thereafter!

Chris Webb's blog has a list of forthcoming AS 2005 books:

http://spaces.msn.com/members/cwebbbi/Blog/cns!1pi7ETChsJ1un_2s41jm9Iyg!
322.entry


- Deepak

Deepak Puri
Microsoft MVP - SQL Server

*** Sent via Developersdex http://www.developersdex.com ***

Dave, Thank you for the information.

Today I saw that a new version of MDX Solutions was going to be available
(MDX Solutions: With Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services 2005 and Hyperion
Essbase). I must wait for this new version?

--
Lev Valenzuela


"Dave Wickert [MSFT]" wrote:

Darren,

I will follow your advice. Thank you very much.

--
Lev Valenzuela


"Darren Gosbell" wrote:

Deepak,

I am not in a hurry to learn AS 2000. I will wait for the new version of AS
2005. Also I saw a new version of MDX Solutions, that this focused AS 2005,
I will be reading the books that I have while these new versions arrive.

Thank you.
Have a nice day.

--
Lev Valenzuela


"Deepak Puri" wrote:

It depends. If you want just AS2K and just with the Microsoft product, then
I'd get the current edition.
--
Dave Wickert [MSFT]
dwickert (AT) online (DOT) microsoft.com
Program Manager
BI Systems Team
SQL BI Product Unit (Analysis Services)
--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


"Lev Valenzuela" <LevValenzuela (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote