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How Do You Do BI with SQL Server?
Things are shifting with Microsoft’s direction with Business Intelligence-type support for SQL Server. Not going away, just shifting and focusing (changes with performance point). It has me wondering how you all are going after SQL Server for reporting and general BI-type work?
I know that many people start with, and often stay with, more simple approaches like using Excel and other Office-based tools to get information from SQL Server. Is this how your company (or your client’s companies) works with SQL Server on a more BI-related basis?
With the people I’ve worked with and have seen on the discussion boards and list servers, it seems like Office will take you to a point, but that getting beyond that to more sophisticated discovery and reporting requires more specific tools. Microsoft has several tools and ways to approach this, from Reporting Services to the Office suite, Analysis Services and the many things that use it’s results, etc.
I have two questions, then. First, what tools do you use for creating business intelligence/data mining solutions? And second, do you find that there is a functional cut point where you have to move from Office-based solutions to more dedicated solutions and if so, what is that cut point?
I’d love to hear your experiences – drop me a note here and we’ll share some feedback and see if we can spot trends and best practices.
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