Course Outline
Module 1: Foundations of Modern Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence:
- The shifting landscape of Data Warehousing (DW) and Business Intelligence (BI)
- Cloud-native data warehousing solutions (Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure SQL Data Warehouse)
- Contemporary data warehouse architectures (Lambda Architecture, Kappa Architecture)
- Data modeling principles (Star Schema, Snowflake Schema)
- Introduction to Data Vault methodology (brief overview)
- Core BI Concepts: ETL/ELT, OLAP, DWH, Data Governance
- Overview of the Microsoft BI Ecosystem: SQL Server (T-SQL, SSIS, SSAS, SSRS), Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Analysis Services, Azure Data Factory, Power BI
Module 2: Modern ETL/ELT Processing with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
- Core SSIS Components (Integration Services, Connection Managers, Data Flow, Control Flow)
- Contemporary data access methods (ADO.NET, OLE DB, ODBC, Python Script Task)
- Cloud integration capabilities (Loading/unloading data to/from Azure Blob Storage, Azure SQL Database/DW, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2)
- Data transformation techniques (Derived Column, Lookup transformations, Aggregate transformations, Conditional Split, Script Component)
- Managing Big Data within SSIS (Integration with Azure Databricks, PolyBase)
- Error handling, logging, and debugging in SSIS
- Deployment and scheduling strategies (SQL Agent, Azure Automation Runbooks)
Module 3: Constructing Analytical Models with SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS - Tabular)
- Introduction to the Tabular Model (comparison with Multidimensional)
- Fundamentals of the DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) language (Context, Calculations, Aggregations)
- Model design essentials: Relationships, Hierarchies, Perspectives, Roles, Security
- Utilizing Time Intelligence functions in DAX
- Managing and deploying Tabular models (BIML, SSDT)
- Performance tuning for SSAS Tabular models
Module 4: Cloud Analytics via Azure Analysis Services (AAS)
- Introduction to Azure Analysis Services (AAS)
- AAS deployment options (PaaS - Azure App Service Plan, Dedicated Compute Instance)
- Connecting to Azure databases (Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure SQL Database, Azure Analysis Services)
- Model authoring in Azure (using Azure Purview or Azure Analysis Services Studio)
- Scaling and high availability features with AAS
- Security mechanisms in AAS (Role-Based Security)
Module 5: Querying and Analyzing Data with T-SQL and DAX
- Advanced T-SQL for data analysis (CTEs, Window Functions, PIVOT/UNPIVOT, MERGE)
- In-depth DAX study (Row Context vs Filter Context, Iterators, Time Intelligence, KPIs, Q&A)
- Integrating T-SQL and DAX (PolyBase queries, linked servers)
- Leveraging AI-enhanced analytics (Azure Synapse Analytics Machine Learning Services)
Module 6: Data Discovery and Visualization
- Introduction to Power BI (Connecting to data sources, Query Editor)
- Designing effective visualizations (Charts, Graphs, Maps)
- Applying DAX in Power BI (Calculated Columns, Measures)
- Report design and formatting techniques in Power BI
- Introduction to Azure Synapse Studio for BI activities
Module 7: Course Review, Advanced Concepts & Practical Labs
- Advanced data transformation patterns (Slowly Changing Dimensions, Type 1/2)
- Data Quality Services (DQS) integration (overview)
- Performance optimization and troubleshooting (Query Store, Execution Plans)
- Extending BI capabilities (Power Query, Power Automate)
- Practical labs covering end-to-end BI scenarios (ETL, Model Building, Reporting)
Requirements
Familiarity with Windows operating systems and foundational understanding of SQL and relational databases.
Testimonials (3)
personalised to our understanding and data
Vincent Long - ASSMANG PTY LTD
Course - Business Intelligence with SSAS
Abhi has excellent knowledge of Alteryx and he explained things very clearly. He understood our goals and created bespoke demo datasets that were relevant to our organisation, which was very impressive. The training was well-structured and delivered at a good pace, with time for questions.
Samuel Taylor - Manchester Metropolitan University
Course - Alteryx for Data Analysis
Deepthi was super attuned to my needs, she could tell when to add layers of complexity and when to hold back and take a more structured approach. Deepthi truly worked at my pace and ensured I was able to use the new functions /tools myself by first showing then letting me recreate the items myself which really helped embed the training. I could not be happier with the results of this training and with the level of expertise of Deepthi!
