Multidimensional versus tabular models
The semantic layer can be constructed using two different approaches: multi-dimensional models and tabular models. Multi-dimensional models, which represent an earlier technique, involve the creation of what are known as OLAP cubes. These cubes are designed to capture and express the multidimensional nature of the underlying data. To better understand this concept, one can envision an extension of a two-dimensional table in a spreadsheet, where data can be aggregated across not just two axes but multiple dimensions.
To illustrate the practical application of multi-dimensional models, let’s consider a scenario where a data warehouse contains detailed purchase records at the lowest level of granularity. The CEO of the organization wants to translate this data into a structure that allows them to report on revenue trends per country per product. In this case, a multidimensional cube would be created, aggregating the purchase data across...
