In 2020, the world celebrated the brand new 12 months with many uncertainties. Effectively, life is filled with uncertainties, however, this one was very totally different. The world was dealing with a brand new pandemic that by no means skilled earlier than. The primary COVID19 case in New Zealand was confirmed in February 2020. In March 2020 the complete nation went to lockdown for the primary time. The world was experiencing an enormous risk altering everybody’s lives. I used to be no totally different. Day by day was beginning with dangerous information. A relative handed away; a buddy received the virus; the shoppers put the initiatives on maintain and many others. Nothing was trying regular anymore. You may’t even go to get a correct haircut, as a result of everyone seems to be in lockdown. That is me making an attempt to smile after getting a home made haircut. I wager a lot of you could have achieved the identical factor.
Someday, I checked my e mail and noticed a message from Packt Publishing. They wished to see if I’m fascinated with writing a e-book about Energy BI. That was a bit of fine information after a very long time. I at all times wished to write down a e-book about Energy BI. Certainly, I tried for the primary time in 2016, however I couldn’t handle to get my geese in a row to understand the publishers’ consideration.
I used to be not unfamiliar with writing books; certainly, I wrote my first e-book again in 2006 about Multimedia Functions in Persian. One in every of my passions in life is listening to music. And CDs have been essentially the most accessible music supply with high-quality sound. I recall I saved cash for some months, and I purchased a Discman to take heed to the music on the go. However CDs are somewhat cumbersome, and you may not have a lot of them in your pocket. So the subsequent challenge was to save lots of much more cash to purchase an MP3 participant. However, changing Audio CDs to MP3 with out compromising so much on the sound high quality was an actual problem for many individuals. And, that was my motive to write down my first e-book in Persian to share my little data with everybody.
Whereas I used to be aware of writing books, my earlier expertise was fairly totally different as my e-book was in Persian, my first language. So writing a technical e-book in English could possibly be an actual problem. So, the e-mail from Packt Publishing could possibly be a game-changer in some ways. Now, I had an enormous challenge to take care of; as an alternative of enthusiastic about all of the adverse pandemic information. I made a decision to just accept the problem and embraced the chance. In Might 2020, I formally began writing my e-book, Professional Information Modeling with Energy BI. I had lengthy days with an excellent busy schedule for greater than a 12 months. I labored very exhausting to handle my duties because the founding father of Information Vizioner and sustain with the product improvement, dealing with my consultancy function, writing my e-book and on the similar time making a suitable work-life steadiness. I labored between 12 to 16 hours a day, together with the weekends. However all of the exhausting works paid off after my e-book was revealed in June 2021.
What’s in This E book for You?
Microsoft Energy BI is likely one of the hottest enterprise intelligence instruments accessible available on the market that you need to use in your native machine and the cloud. This e-book will likely be your information to understanding totally different points of information modelling, so the main target of this e-book is to not train you the way to write DAX expressions. For that matter, there are significantly better books on the market that I personally confer with on some events. The most effective ones for studying DAX, for my part, are:
- Phill Seamark’s books:
- Starting DAX with Energy BI: The SQL Professional’s Information to Higher Enterprise Intelligence
- Professional DAX with Energy BI: Enterprise Intelligence with PowerPivot and SQL Server Evaluation Companies Tabular
- Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari’s e-book:
- Definitive Information to DAX, The : Enterprise intelligence for Microsoft Energy BI, SQL Server Evaluation Companies, and Excel by Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari
Whereas my e-book closely makes use of many Energy Question strategies, however once more, the principle focus shouldn’t be on Energy Question. For studying Energy Question, I counsel studying the next e-book:
To make it clearer, my e-book discusses lots of DAX and Energy Question, however, the main target of the e-book is to not clear up all modelling challenges solely with Energy Question or DAX. The main focus right here is certainly on Energy Question, DAX and lots of different points of information modelling. For example, the e-book covers the circulate of information in numerous layers of Energy BI Desktop; an idea that may look trivial to many readers, however actually, it’s a essential idea that if we don’t perceive it effectively, we can not create an excellent information mannequin. So, the e-book begins discussing some constructing blocks, then it covers many points of superior information modelling. So, no matter your degree of information, the Professional Information Modelling with Energy BI has one thing for you.
What this e-book covers
The next sections clarify what the e-book covers in numerous chapters.
Chapter 1, Introduction to Information Modeling in Energy BI
This chapter briefly describes the totally different functionalities of Energy BI and why information modelling is necessary. This chapter additionally reveals some necessary notes to be thought of round Energy BI licensing, which probably might have an effect on your information mannequin. This chapter introduces an iterative information modelling method, which ensures an agile Energy BI implementation.
Chapter 2, Information Evaluation eXpressions and Information Modeling
This chapter doesn’t talk about lots of DAX as in elements 3 and 4 of this e-book DAX is closely used to unravel totally different information modelling challenges. Subsequently, we’ll solely deal with the DAX functionalities which might be tougher to grasp and are very related to information modelling. This chapter begins with a fast introduction to DAX, then we soar straight to digital tables and time intelligence functionalities and their purposes in real-world situations.
Chapter 3, Information Preparation in Energy Question Editor
This chapter rapidly explains the elements of Energy Question and their utility. It expresses the emphasis of making question parameters and user-defined features together with real-world use instances and situations to exhibit how highly effective they’re in constructing way more versatile and maintainable fashions.
Chapter 4, Getting Information from Varied Sources
This chapter explains getting information from totally different information sources which might be extra generally utilized in Energy BI. Then, the significance of information supply certification is defined, which helps you set your expectations on the kind of information you’re going to take care of. That is particularly useful in estimating information modelling efforts. Totally different connection modes are additionally defined on this chapter.
Chapter 5, Widespread Information Preparation Steps
Explains widespread information preparation steps together with real-world hands-on situations. A mixture of what you could have realized to date on this e-book with the steps to be mentioned on this chapter offers you a robust basis to go on to the subsequent chapters and construct your information fashions extra effectively. By studying these functionalities, you possibly can take care of lots of totally different situations in implementing totally different information fashions.
Chapter 6, Star Schema Preparation in Energy Question Editor
Explains the way to put together your queries based mostly on the star schema information modelling method with real-life situations. The Energy Question M language will likely be closely used on this chapter, so you’ll discover ways to take care of real-world challenges alongside the best way. As you could have already realized widespread information preparation steps within the earlier chapter, nearly all of Energy Question situations defined on this chapter will likely be simpler to implement. You’ll additionally discover ways to construct dimension tables and truth tables, and the way to denormalize your queries when wanted.
Chapter 7, Information Preparation Widespread Greatest Practices
Explains widespread greatest practices in information preparation. Following these practices will make it easier to construct extra environment friendly information fashions which might be simpler to keep up and extra versatile to make modifications to. Following these practices, it’s also possible to keep away from widespread errors, which might make your life a lot simpler.
Chapter 8, Information Modeling Elements
Explains information modelling elements from a Energy BI perspective together with actual file examples. On this chapter, we closely use DAX when relevant so having a primary understanding of DAX is crucial. We even have a whole star schema mannequin in Energy BI. The idea of config tables is roofed, which unlocks lots of prospects in dealing with extra advanced enterprise logic within the information mannequin. The chapter
ends with information modelling naming conventions.
Chapter 9, Star Shema and Information Modeling Widespread Greatest Practices
This chapter explains widespread information modelling greatest practices that can assist you make higher choices whereas constructing your information mannequin to forestall dealing with some identified points down the street. For example, coping with information sort points in key columns which might be utilized in relationships is considerably time-consuming to determine, however it’s very simple to forestall. So, figuring out information modelling greatest practices helps you save lots of upkeep time and consequently saves you cash.
Chapter 10, Superior Information Modeling Strategies
This chapter explains particular modelling strategies that clear up particular enterprise necessities. information modeller is one who’s at all times open to new challenges. It’s possible you’ll face among the superior enterprise necessities mentioned on this chapter or it’s possible you’ll face one thing totally different however comparable. The message we need to ship on this chapter is to assume freely when coping with new enterprise challenges and attempt to be
revolutionary to get one of the best outcomes.
Chapter 11, Row-Stage Safety
Explains the way to implement row-level safety (RLS) in a Energy BI information mannequin. Coping with RLS might be advanced and figuring out the way to take care of totally different conditions wants deep data on information modelling and filter propagation ideas. Our intention on this chapter is to switch that data to you so you possibly can design and implement high-performing and low-maintenance information fashions.
Chapter 12, Further Choices and Options Accessible for Information Modeling
This chapter introduces information modelling choices comparable to Slowly Altering Dimensions (SCD), Object-Stage Safety (OLS), dataflows, and composite fashions, supplying you with broad publicity to all these matters.
I Was Not Alone Alongside the Manner
All this was not doable with out having the total help of my beautiful spouse, my buddies and my household. I additionally want to present my particular gratefulness to 2 wonderful professionals:
I additionally thank the next Microsoft MVPs who put their useful time to evaluation my e-book after publication and supplied their suggestions:
Thanks everybody on your help.
