Multi-Dimensional Modeling

Innovator provides specific diagrams and elements for multidimensional models to support an online analysis process (OLAP).

You use the following model elements for modeling a multidimensional model to support an online analysis process (Online Analytical Processing, OLAP):

• Entity/Relationship Diagram

  For the modeling of fact sets and dimension sets of an entity relationship model, you use an entity relationship diagram with configured stereotypes for the fact entity, fact view and dimension entity.

  In addition to entity relationship model elements, the ER diagram can contain elements of the multidimensional model. The dimension diagram and cube diagram are configured as stereotypes of the entity relationship diagram for the graphic display of these elements.

• Dimension Diagram

  The dimension diagram is a stereotype of the entity relationship diagram and can contain dimensions and hierarchies as container nodes. They display the dimension levels and hierarchy levels with compartments for identification, display, and sort attributes. The dimension precedences are depicted as edges between the levels.

• Cube Diagram

  The cube diagram is a stereotype of the entity relationship diagram and can contain cubes and cube dimensions as nodes and their used hierarchies as container nodes.

• Measures Dimensions Diagram

  The measures dimensions diagram is a stereotype of the entity relationship diagram and can depict cubes with their dimensions. A cube dimension directly shows the dimension level and is linked to the fact set with a key in the ER model.

• Dimension

  A dimension forms a quasi hierarchy of its contained dimension elements that is modeled using dimension precedences. Every level can have more than one super dimension level in this quasi hierarchy. A complete and correct dimension has precisely one bottom-most dimension level.

• Dimension Level

  A dimension level in a dimension contains identifier, display and sort attributes. In a complete model, the dimension level is linked with a dimension set of the entity relationship model.

• Identification, Display and Sort Attributes

  There are three types of attributes in a dimension level: identification attributes, display attributes and sort attributes. These are linked with attributes from the Entity Relationship dimension set of their dimension level in a complete model.

• Dimension Precedence

  A dimension precedence is a hierarchy relationship between two dimension levels. It belongs to the sublevel and references the super level.

• Hierarchy

  A hierarchy in a dimension forms a simple hierarchy; each level in the hierarchy can only have one sublevel. A complete and correct hierarchy contains one hierarchy level that represents the bottom-most dimension level in the dimension. The simple hierarchy is implemented as a list of hierarchy levels. In the list of a correct and complete hierarchy, the top-most level is the first element in the list, followed by a sublevel, then right through to the bottom-most level which is the last element in the list.

• Hierarchy Levels

  A hierarchy level represents a dimension level and shows the content, redundant of its dimension attributes. You can edit a hierarchy level as a precedence of its dimension level in diagrams. This means that e.g. dimension attributes are actually created in the dimension level and shown in the hierarchy level. Dimension precedences that are shown between hierarchy levels actually run between their dimension levels. A link between a hierarchy and dimension entity or view is also stored at the dimension level.

• Cube

  A cube is a special form of a view of the entity relationship model. Linking a cube with a fact set using a from clause automatically only derives the local attributes as view attributes that represent the measures of the fact set. A cube can have any number of cube dimensions.

• Cube Dimension

  A cube dimension connects the cube with a dimension and uses one or more dimension hierarchies in a complete model.

• Cube Dimension Hierarchy Use

  A cube dimension hierarchy use links a cube dimension with a hierarchy of its dimension. They are shown as edges in the cube diagram.

• Measurement Time

  A measurement time is linked with a cube dimension to specify the time when the data of the key indicators in the cube is collected. The time is denoted by a technical description such as 'First of Month' or 'Key Date'.