Creating Intelligent Cubes based on MDX cubes

Once MDX cubes are integrated into MicroStrategy, you can begin to create MDX cube reports directly on these MDX cubes, as described in Creating MDX cube reports.

Alternatively, once an MDX cube is created, you can create an Intelligent Cube based on the MDX cube. This stores the MDX cube data as an Intelligent Cube, which allows you to take advantage of various Intelligent Cube features, including the improved response time of reporting against Intelligent Cubes.

Once an Intelligent Cube is created for an MDX cube, reports can be created based on the Intelligent Cube. These reports can analyze the MDX cube data, while also taking advantage of OLAP Services analysis features such as derived elements.

The steps below show you how to create an Intelligent Cube based on an MDX cube.

Prerequisites

• At least one MDX cube must be imported into your MicroStrategy project. Importing MDX cubes is often handled by a MicroStrategy architect. See Importing MDX cubes in the MDX Cube Reporting Help for more information.

• You need the Use Intelligent Cube Editor privilege to create Intelligent Cubes. This privilege is part of OLAP Services.

To create an Intelligent Cube based on an MDX cube

1. Using MicroStrategy Developer, log in to a project connected to an MDX cube source.

2. From the File menu, select New, and then select Intelligent Cube. The New Intelligent Cube dialog box opens.

3. On the MDX Sources tab, select a database instance connected to an MDX cube source and click OK. The Select Cube dialog box opens.

4. Select an MDX cube to report on:

   To show the technical names for MDX cubes, select the Display technical names check box.

   • If MDX cubes have already been imported by an architect, they are displayed in their respective catalog structure. Click the plus sign (+) next to the catalog name to display its contents, and then select the imported cube to use for your Intelligent Cube.

     You can use the Find dialog box to search for a specific MDX cube to use for your report.

   • If the MDX cube that you want to report on has not been imported yet, click Retrieve cubes. Select the MDX cube from the list of MDX cubes from the selected database instance. If you select an MDX cube that has not been imported yet, it is imported into MicroStrategy before the report is created. You must have the Import MDX Cube privilege to perform this action.

     You can also use the MDX Cube Catalog to import cubes. See Importing MDX cubes in the MDX Cube Reporting Help for more information.

5. Click OK to open the Report Editor.

6. From the Object Browser pane, select attributes, metrics, and other objects from the MDX cube to create the data available for the Intelligent Cube.

7. From the File menu, select Save. The Save Intelligent Cube As dialog box opens.

8. In the Object name field, type a descriptive name for the Intelligent Cube.

9. Click OK to save the Intelligent Cube and return to the Report Editor.

10. To make the Intelligent Cube available for creating reports, you must publish the Intelligent Cube. This can be done by selecting Run Report in the toolbar.

11. Once the Intelligent Cube is published, reports can be created on the Intelligent Cube.