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What is MicroStrategy?
Basics of MicroStartegy
MicroStrategy Architecture :
I-server: MicroStrategy Intelligent server provides jobs management and analytical processing for all MicroStrategy applications. This acts as a central component connecting the metadata, warehouse, desktop, Web server and Narrow cast Server. Few or main features: Reports Services, OLAP Services, Data Mining, Multi Source connection, Caching, Clustering. Latest version supports installing I-server (different packages) on Windows, Sun Solaris, IBM AIX, HP-UX, Linux. Contact MicroStrategy for more information.
Types Of Objects (at a high level):
For more information, please refer MicroStrategy product manuals.
MicroStrategy Basics
A Business Intelligence technology providing integrated reporting, analysis, and monitoring software that helps the Decision Support System in an organization. MicroStrategy is a leading Business Intelligence tool which existing independently by itself (for now).
Technically: A business intelligence tool with a ROLAP engine which could connect to any (or most) database(s). MicroStrategy is an object oriented model with an attractive and an easy to use graphical user interface for developers and end users.
A reporting tool which can be used to create reports/dashboards, ad-hoc reporting and sending out the reports/dashboards to e-mails, mobiles, file drop locations and many more. There is a web version and a client version of the tool. Web version is to facilitate the user and the client version could be used by the developer. Main components of the MicroStrategy environment- I-server, Web Server, Narrow cast Server and Metadata. Architecture described below.
Web Server: MicroStrategy web server responds to the requests from browsers. Web server interacts with the I-server to extract the necessary information. Can be installed on most of the major web servers and supports most popular browsers. Contact MicroStrategy for certified products.
Narrow cast Server: Narrowcast sever delivers personalized business insight to emails, cell phones, pagers, file servers and print servers extending the reach of Business Intelligence applications. It offers a comprehensive solution for information delivery integrating a subscription portal with a delivery engine.
Metadata: The database repository where definitions of all MicroStrategy objects are stored. Metadata could be hosted on most databases. In simple words, Metadata could be considered as the heart of MicroStrategy environment. Cases where Metadata is directly connected to desktop (client) eliminating I-server is a 2-tier mode connection (refer to the above picture).
Desktop: MicroStrategy Desktop is a client used to interact with the Server.
Configuration Objects: Configuration objects are MicroStrategy objects which can be re used in multiple projects and they appear in the system layer.
Schema Objects: The building block of BI. Schema objects are directly mapped to a column or columns in the database.
Public Objects: Objects that generate analytical data and are built on other schema objects or public objects. Also called as application objects.
Types Of Configuration: Objects:Database Instances, Users, Login ID's, Schedules.
Types Of Schema Objects: Attributes, Facts, Functions & Operators, Hierarchies, Partition Mappings, Tables & Transformations.
Types Of Public Objects (frequently used): Consolidation, Custom Groups, Drill Maps, Reports, Documents, Filters, Prompts, Metrics, Templates and Searches
MicroStrategy Roles
Administrator: By default, the role/person will have full access to the environment. In other words this role has full access to all the type of objects mentioned above.
Architect: By default, access to configuration objects is restricted.
Developer: By default, no access to configuration objects, use access to schema objects and full access to public objects.
