1. Welcome! Power BI User Group (PUG)
Copenhagen

2. Super Charge Power BI and What’s New with Azure Analysis Services
Christian Wade
Senior Program Manager
@_christianWade

3. Azure Analysis Services
Enterprise grade analytics engine as a service
Build rich semantic models
Transform complex data into business user friendly semantic models
Gain insights at the speed of thought
Gain instant insights with in-memory cache using your preferred visualization tools
Proven technology
Based on powerful, proven SQL Server Analysis Services
Provision and scale with ease
Easy to deploy, scale, and manage as a platform-as-a-service solution
Key points: Summarize key benefits for Azure Analysis Services
Azure Analysis Services helps you transform complex data from different data sources into a BI semantic model, so users in your organization can easily gain insights by connecting to the data models using tools like Excel, Power BI, and others to create reports and perform ad hoc data analysis
Talk Track
Transform Complex Data into rich BI semantic models: Azure Analysis Services Analysis Services helps you transform complex data into a single business user friendly data model making it easy for business users to understand and analyze data across different data sources.
Gain instant insights with in-memory cache using your preferred visualization tools : Not only can business users get insights from data easily using their preferred data visualization tool, whether it is Power BI, Excel or other major data visualization tools, but with the in-memory cache capabilities of Azure Analysis Services, users can gain insights over billions of rows of data at the speed of thought
Proven Technology: Azure Analysis Services is based on the proven analytics engine in SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services, that has helped organizations turn complex data into a trusted, single source of truth for years. This means that BI professionals who are familiar with SQL Server Analysis Services, tabular models can get started quickly and do not need to learn new tools or skills.
Analytics engine as-a-service (provision fast, scale faster): The same proven enterprise grade BI platform is now available as a fully managed service in Azure. With the power of the trusted Microsoft Cloud, you do not need to manage infrastructure on-premises and can benefit from the scalability of the cloud. Additionally you can use Azure Resource Manager to create and deploy an Azure Analysis Services instance within seconds, and use backup restore to quickly move your existing models to Azure Analysis Services and take advantage of the scale, flexibility and management benefits of the cloud. Scale up, scale down, or pause the service and pay only for what you use.
Azure Analysis Services is built for Hybrid BI - Organizations store data in the cloud and on-premises. Azure Analysis Services is built for hybrid data. Data can be access in the cloud, on-premises or a combination of both, enabling a hybrid solution. So - you do not have to move on-premises data to the cloud.
To summarize, Azure Analysis Services is simple to use – it is easy to get started, you can use your existing skills to create BI semantic models, and your favorite data visualizations tools to analyze your data.

4. Microsoft BI Platform DATA Model Analyze & author Deliver Visualize
Power BI
Azure Analysis Services
Power BI
Web
Embedded in your apps
Mobile
Cloud
On –premises data gateway
On-premises
Key points:
Azure Analysis Services, is based on the proven analytical engine in SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services. Customers can access data sources across on-premises and the cloud, model that data, and provide business users with a simplified view of their data to enable interactive self-service BI and data discovery using their preferred data visualization tool.
Easy to deploy, scale, and manage as a platform-as-a-service solution
Create a provision an Azure Analysis Service server in seconds.
Elastic scale to move up and down with your business needs.
Reduce the burden of managing infrastructure with a fully managed Analysis Services in the cloud.
Integrate data from anywhere. Build your semantic model from modern data sources like Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL DW as well as on-prem data like SQL Server 2016
Connect to your semantic model with your favorite BI visualization tool and interact with data at scale and the speed.
SQL Server
Analysis Services
SQL Server Reporting Services
Excel
Power BI Desktop

5. Connection Types in Power BI
Import
Direct Query
Live Connection to AS
Azure AS

6. Azure Analysis Services Architecture
11/27/2017 1:59 AM
Azure Analysis Services Architecture
Cloud data sources
Cloud visualization tools
Azure Analysis Services
SQL Database
Other data sources
DirectQuery
DAX
Power BI
Import
MDX
SQL Data Warehouse
Gateway
On-premises data sources
Authoring and development tools
On-premises visualization tools
Other data sources
SQL Server
Visual Studio
Excel
Azure AS other features
Scale up/down
Pause/resume
99.9% uptime SLA (GA)
New automation opportunities
DirectQuery
Import
Power BI Desktop
Third party BI tools
Oracle, Teradata
Note: not all capabilities available at public preview
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

7. Azure Analysis Services capabilities at a glance
11/27/2017 1:59 AM
Azure Analysis Services capabilities at a glance
Management/platform
Fully managed Platform-as-a-Service
99.9% uptime SLA
Elastic scale up/down
Pause & resume
Up to 400 GB memory per server
SSAS management tool compatibility: SSMS, SQL Profiler, Deployment Wizard, …
Azure Active Directory
Azure B2B support
Application service principals
Backup/restore
Unified Gateway
Consumption
Full DAX & MDX support
PowerBI.com
Power BI Desktop
Excel
3rd party tools
S8/S9:
East US 2
West US
Southeast Asia
West Europe
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

8. Unified Gateway

9. 11/27/2017 1:59 AM
1200 Compatibility Level Azure Analysis Services / SQL Server Analysis Services 2016
Performance and scalability
Parallel partition processing
NUMA awareness and memory allocator (SP1)
Super DAX
Developer Tools
Tabular Model Explorer
Integrated workspace server
DAX formula editing
Modeling and analytics
Bi-directional cross filters
Calculated tables
Display folders
Translations
Over 50 new DAX functions
DirectQuery enhancements
Manageability
Tabular Object Model (TOM)
Tabular Model Scripting Language (TMSL)
Modeling and analytics
Bi-directional cross filters
Many-to-many dimension scenarios without need to write complex DAX formulas
For whole table, not just a measure
Various use cases such as account balance, currency conversion, distinct count of attributes
Calculated tables
Dynamically generate a table based on a DAX formula.
Various use cases including role-playing dimensions
Some performance improvements available
Display folders
Present model elements and measures by business function in Pivot Tables and in Power BI
Translations
DirectQuery enhancements
Data is up to date with no management of loading the in-memory cache
Big data sets that don’t fit into memory
New data sources: APS / SQL DW, Oracle, Teradata
Support for MDX queries (Pivot Tables)
Improved query generation resulting in faster performance
Row-level security defined with DAX filters
Over 50 new DAX functions
DATEDIFF, SELECTCOLUMNS, SUMMARIZECOLUMNS, CROSSFILTER
Manageability
Tabular Object Model (TOM)
Tables, columns, relationships – not cubes, measure groups, dimensions
Tabular Model Scripting Language (TMSL)
JSON representation of TOM – with commands for manageability such as create/alter database, backup, restore, attach, detach
Performance and scalability
NUMA awareness and memory allocator
The in-memory engine in SP1 maintains a separate job queue on each NUMA node
The Intel TBB-based scalable allocator that provides separate memory pools for every core. As the number of cores increases, the system can scale almost linearly
Parallel partition processing
Super DAX
Strict evaluation of IF/SWITCH, Variables
Some cases just restoring a 2014 model to 2016 provides significant DAX performance benefits
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

10. 11/27/2017 1:59 AM
1400 Compatibility Level Azure Analysis Services / SQL Server Analysis Services 2017
Data connectivity
Rich set of data sources
Data transformations and mashups with Power Query Formula Language
Modeling and analytics
Detail Rows
Enhanced support for ragged hierarchies
Object level security
Developer tools
SSDT for VS 2017
DAX Editor for SSDT and SSMS
© 2014 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

11. Demo

12. Thank you for Attending!
Don’t forget to join your local PUG to enjoy year-round networking and learning.

13. Welcome!
Christian Wade is a Senior Program Manager for Analysis Services. His consulting experience includes data-warehousing, BI and application- development projects for numerous enterprise customers. Christian is the creator of the BISM Normalizer, which is a database comparison tool for Analysis Services tabular models. He is a frequent presenter at Microsoft conferences. Twitter

14. SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services – what’s new
11/27/2017
Azure Analysis Services Enterprise scale models with in-memory technology built-in
Use Azure Analysis Services as a Semantic Model
Combine data from many places and apply business rules
Interactive analysis “at the speed of thought”
Integrate with IT processes such as deployment & DevOps
Easily create models
IT pro
BI consumers
Azure Analysis Services
Faster time to insight
Organizations have lots of data, but difficult to access. BI Semantic model unlocks that data for business users.
Contains business logic, sophisticated calculations
High reusability for consistent decisions in an enterprise org
Reuse in enterprise org
Scalability
IT owned & managed
Business analyst
Share insights faster
© 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

15. SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services – what’s new
11/27/2017
CLIENT TOOLS
3rd party applications
Excel
SSRS paginated reports
SSRS mobile reports
Power BI Desktop
PowerBI.com
BI SEMANTIC MODEL
Use SQL Server data tools for Visual Studio to create BI semantic models
Queries
MDX/DAX (all model types)
Data model
Tabular
Multidimensional
Business logic
MDX
DAX
Data access
MOLAP
ROLAP
In-memory
DirectQuery
Variety of client tools – submit MDX or DAX – they often don’t know or care whether AS in in tabular or multidimensional mode (abstracted)
Multidimensional a mature product
Business logic in MDX
Sophisticated calculation scenarios
Rich modeling experience
Tabular
Business logic in DAX
Quick to deliver – more agile
Super fast queries due to in-memory cache
Can query in-memory or Direct Query
DATA SOURCES
Relational databases
LOB applications
Cloud services
Analytics platform system
© 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

16. Proven analytics engine Azure Analysis Services is based on SQL Server technology
Data sources
DATA
Cloud
On-premises
BI semantic model
TOOLS
Client tools
Cloud
On-premises
DAX calculations
Tabular model
In-memory
DirectQuery
MDX
DAX
Queries
Data model
Key points:
Azure Analysis Services works just like SQL Server Analysis services (for tabular models), supports data sources on-premises and in the cloud, and consume using your preferred data visualization tools.
Talk track:
Azure Analysis Services is based on SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services technology. Data can be accessed on-premises and in the cloud and business users and BI professionals can consume the data on-mobile devices, on the web and in custom apps.
This means that BI professionals who are familiar with SQL Server Analysis Services, tabular models can get started quickly and do not need to learn new tools or skills.
That includes the flexibility to develop in the familiar Visual Studio environment and take advantage of Visual Studio Application Lifecycle Management
Business logic
Data access

17. Azure Analysis Services
SQL Server 2016 Analysis Services – what’s new
Azure Analysis Services
11/27/2017
CLIENT TOOLS
3rd party applications
Excel
SSRS paginated reports
SSRS mobile reports
Power BI Desktop
PowerBI.com
BI SEMANTIC MODEL
DAX calculations
Tabular model
In-memory
DirectQuery
MDX
DAX
Queries
Data model
Business logic
Data access
Variety of client tools – submit MDX or DAX – they often don’t know or care whether AS in in tabular or multidimensional mode (abstracted)
Multidimensional a mature product
Business logic in MDX
Sophisticated calculation scenarios
Rich modeling experience
Tabular
Business logic in DAX
Quick to deliver – more agile
Super fast queries due to in-memory cache
Can query in-memory or Direct Query
DATA SOURCES
Relational databases
LOB applications
Cloud services
Analytics platform system
© 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.