SSAS Process Default option for dimension

Question

Hi,

I am trying to process the SSAS dimensions with option "Process Default" which should ideally choose the best processing option to bring the dimension to a fully processed state.  But when I use that option it doesn't even bring in the new members added to my dimension.  Is it a bug? or am I missing something here?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Vinaya

Answer 1

"Process Default" will bring it to a fully processed state but that doesn't mean that it will be in a consistent state with your relational source table. If your dimension is already in a processed state, it won't do anything. "Process Update" is the process that you're looking for which will bring in new dimension members and update attribute relationships, failing in cases where a rigid relationship incurs changes. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/library/ms174774(v=sql.105).aspx

HTH, Martin

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Answer 2

Thanks Martin.  But I would like to have an option where in, I need to do minimal processing to bring the dimension to processed (whatever change it may be, a structural change or new members added/removed etc.).

I thought "process default" does that, if its not will "Process Update" work perfect for this situation?  I dont want to do a full process of dimension everytime.  So can you please suggest a better way to process Dimensions and related measure groups that will do only necessary processing to get the data up to date?

Thanks,

Vinaya

Answer 3

Hi Vinaya,

Process Update would be the way to go. Process Default will not add new members if the dimension is already in a processed state. The general process I usually employ is the following:

• Perform a Process Update on dimensions. - Aggregations associated with flexible relationships will be dropped so your users may experience performance degradation, especially on a large cube. The alternative is to perform a Process Update and check the box to also process affected objects. This option essentially processes your flexible aggregations along with the member changes in your dimension. However, with a very large cube doing so may increase your dimension processing (and memory consumption) significantly.
• Perform a Process Data operation on measure groups which had new data added.
• Perform a Process Indexes on all measure groups. - This step rebuilds all aggregations associated with flexible aggregations and all aggregations on previously processed measure groups and all aggregations on rebuilt measure groups.

HTH, Martin

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http://martinmason.wordpress.com

Answer 4

Thanks a lot for your help :)