Microsoft Learning:

Exam 70-446:

PRO: Designing a Business Intelligence Solution by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Published:March 02, 2007
Language(s):English, French, German, Japanese
Audience(s):IT Professionals
Technology:Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Type:Proctored Exam
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Audience Profile
This exam is intended for IT professionals who design and plan business intelligence (BI) solutions by using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 tools. The qualified candidate for this exam typically has the following experience.
  • Experience working with SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
  • At least one year of experience designing both relational and multidimensional database schemas
  • Experience designing and building cubes to support business requirements
  • One to two years of experience writing both relational and multidimensional queries
  • Experience in applying data mining algorithms to business problem domains
  • Experience designing and creating reports to support business requirements
  • Experience aggregating data into a data warehouse from multiple sources in a heterogeneous data environment
  • Experience in designing enterprise-level solutions for very large multidimensional databases
Credit Toward CertificationExam 70-446: PRO: Designing a Business Intelligence Solution by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005: counts as credit toward the following certification(s):
Note This preparation guide is subject to change at any time without prior notice and at the sole discretion of Microsoft. Microsoft exams might include adaptive testing technology and simulation items. Microsoft does not identify the format in which exams are presented. Please use this preparation guide to prepare for the exam, regardless of its format.
Skills Being MeasuredThis exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below.The percentages indicate the relative weight of each major topic area on the exam.The higher the percentage, the more questions you are likely to see on that content area on the exam.

The information after “This objective may include but is not limited to” is intended to further define or scope the objective by describing the types of skills and topics that may be tested for the objective. However, it is not an exhaustive list of skills and topics that could be included on the exam for a given skill area. You may be tested on other skills and topics related to the objective that are not explicitly listed here.
Planning BI Solutions
  • Select appropriate BI technologies.
  • Specify the appropriate SQL Server edition.
  • Design dimensional models.
    • Design dimensions for each subject area.
    • Design fact tables for each subject area.
  • Design a physical schema based on a logical design.
    • Identify current dimensions that can be reused.
    • Identify elements that must be added to existing dimensions or fact tables.
    • Design new physical objects based on a logical model.
  • Design indexing, partitioning, and key structures for the relational database.
    • Design an indexing strategy.
    • Design a surrogate key strategy.
    • Identify appropriate business keys.
    • Design a partitioning strategy.
Designing SSIS Solutions
  • Design the extract process.
    • Identify design constraints.
    • Identify changed data in the source system.
    • Decide the strategy for decoding textual values.
  • Design the load process.
    • Decide whether to implement fast load.
    • Design appropriate destination components to handle new and updated records during incremental loads.
  • Design the transformation process.
    • Identify appropriate transformations and transformation options.
    • Design data flow.
  • Design the control flow process.
    • Identify appropriate control flow items.
    • Design the control flow sequence.
  • Design logging and event handling.
    • Identify appropriate uses and placement of event handlers.
    • Identify appropriate uses and placement of checkpoints.
    • Identify appropriate uses of logging.
    • Identify appropriate uses of data flow error handling.
Designing SSRS Solutions
  • Acquire report data.
    • Select appropriate uses of shared data sources.
    • Select appropriate uses of stored procedures or user-defined functions.
  • Design security for SSRS.
    • Define appropriate security roles.
    • Specify folder security.
    • Specify field-level security.
  • Choose an SSRS report creation strategy.
    • Select appropriate uses of Report Designer.
    • Select appropriate uses of Report Definition Language (RDL).
    • Select appropriate uses of Report Builder.
  • Select appropriate report components.
    • Decide appropriate uses of datasets.
    • Decide appropriate uses of subreports.
    • Decide the appropriate placement of extensive business logic.
  • Design report execution modes to support business requirements.
    • Identify appropriate uses of report snapshots.
    • Identify appropriate uses of on-demand reports.
    • Identify appropriate uses of on-demand-from-cache reports.
  • Design a report subscription strategy.
    • Identify appropriate uses of standard subscriptions.
    • Identify appropriate uses of data-driven subscriptions.
    • Identify appropriate report-delivery methods for subscriptions.
  • Design a strategy to maintain SSRS objects on the report server.
    • Identify appropriate uses of the Reporting Services Web Service library.
    • Identify appropriate uses of the Reporting Services Configuration tool.
Designing SSAS Solutions
  • Design the data source view (DSV).
    • Select appropriate uses of named queries.
    • Select appropriate uses of named calculations.
    • Select appropriate uses of denormalization strategies.
  • Modify the SSAS dimensions.
    • Identify appropriate uses of attribute relationships.
    • Identify appropriate uses of column binding to support a user-defined reporting hierarchy.
    • Select a design for implementing a ragged hierarchy.
    • Select an appropriate strategy to implement member properties.
  • Modify the SSAS cube.
    • Identify appropriate uses of calculated members.
    • Identify appropriate uses of actions.
    • Identify appropriate uses of key performance indicators (KPIs).
    • Identify appropriate uses of perspectives.
    • Identify appropriate uses of translations.
    • Identify appropriate uses of drillthrough.
  • Design relationships between dimensions and measure groups.
    • Identify a relationship type.
    • Identify appropriate uses of role-playing dimensions.
    • Choose an appropriate strategy to handle unknown dimension members.
  • Design security for SSAS.
    • Define appropriate security roles.
    • Design dimension security.
    • Design cell security by using Multidimensional Expressions (MDX).
Maintaining and Optimizing SSAS Solutions
  • Select an appropriate aggregation strategy.
  • Maintain SSAS solutions by using either online or offline methods.
  • Ensure that the SSAS solutions are refreshed with the most recent data.
    • Design a partitioning strategy for optimal data availability.
    • Decide whether proactive caching is an appropriate solution.
  • Select appropriate processing methods for SSAS objects.
  • Select appropriate storage settings.
    • Design partition storage settings.
    • Select a dimension storage mode.
Designing Data Mining Solutions
  • Identify applicability of data mining to a business need.
  • Design the data structure to support mining.
  • Design a data mining model.
    • Identify appropriate algorithms to meet requirements.
    • Classify data as input, key, predict, and ignore.
  • Select data mining delivery methods.
    • Select appropriate uses of SSRS Data Mining Extensions (DMX) queries.
    • Select appropriate uses of ActiveX Data Objects (Multidimensional) (ADOMD).
    • Select appropriate uses of SSIS Data Mining Query tasks.
    • Select appropriate uses of data mining viewer controls for Microsoft .NET Framework-based applications.
  • Select a processing method for data mining objects.
    • Select appropriate uses of full processing.
    • Select appropriate uses of structure processing.
    • Select appropriate uses of default processing.
Preparation Tools and ResourcesTo help you prepare for this exam, Microsoft Learning recommends that you have hands-on experience with the product and that you use the following training resources. These training resources do not necessarily cover all of the topics listed in the "Skills Measured" tab.
Learning Plans and Classroom Training
Microsoft E-Learning There is no Microsoft E-Learning training currently available.
Microsoft Press Books There are no Microsoft Press books currently available.
Practice Tests
Microsoft Online Resources
  • Learning Plan: Get started by creating a step-by-step study guide that is based on recommended resources for this exam.
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 – Learning Portal: Find special offers and information on training and certification.
  • Microsoft Learning Community: Join newsgroups and visit community forums to connect with your peers for suggestions on training resources and advice on your certification path and studies.
  • TechNet: Designed for IT professionals, this site includes how-to instructions, best practices, downloads, technical resources, newsgroups, and chats.
  • MSDN: Designed for developers, the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) features code samples, technical articles, downloads, newsgroups, and chats.
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