OLAP (On-Line Analytical Processing) is an important data warehousing technology. OLAP is a growing area because it allows businesses to quickly analyze vast quantities of information to make strategic decisions. This text provides information on how best to implement and use multidimensional decision support systems as part of an overall data warehousing strategy. It explains in a clear and accurate manner: what OLAP is; the variety of OLAP tools available; how to select the tool best suited to an organization's particular needs; how to implement multidimensional OLAP solutions when creating new databases; and how to apply multidimensional concepts to existing databases. In addition, it outlines several actual case studies to illustrate how OLAP can solve specific problems frequently encountered by a variety of businesses and organizations.
