New and Enhanced Features - SQL Server 2012 (What's New in SQL Server 2012) - Part 7

BI Enhancement

With SQL Server 2012, Microsoft made many enhancement and added new features for SSAS, SSIS and SSRS. Here we will discuss few of them.

1.       Sysprep for AS: With SQL Server 2012, Microsoft has added the Sysprep for Analysis Services.

The System Preparation (Sysprep) tool prepares an installation of Windows for duplication, auditing, and customer delivery.

Duplication, also called imaging, enables you to capture a customized Windows image that you can reuse throughout an organization.

2.       PowerPivot Enhancement: The key changes to PowerPivot for SharePoint in SQL Server 2012 provide you with a more straightforward installation and configuration process and a wider range of tools for managing the server environment.

These changes should help you get your server up and running quickly and keep it running smoothly as usage increases over time.

3.       Alerting: Reporting Services data alerts are a data driven alerting solution that helps you be informed about report data that is interesting or important to you, and at a relevant time.

By using data alerts you no longer have to seek out information, it comes to you. Data alert messages are sent by email.

Depending on the importance of the information, you can choose to send messages more or less frequently and only when results change.

You can specify multiple email recipients and this way keep others informed to enhance efficiency and collaboration.

4.       Unified Semantic Model: This is replacing the Analysis Services Unified Dimensional Model (or cubes most people referred to them). It's a hybrid model that allows one data model will support all BI experiences in SQL Server.

Additionally, this will allow for some really neat text infographics.

5.       PowerView: Power View (formerly code-named Crescent) is a graphical data navigation and visualization tool that enables end-user reporting.

Power View provides a report designer that lets users take elements from a semantic data model that's constructed by IT and use them to create powerful interactive reports that can be embedded in .NET applications or published to SharePoint.