How to create OLAP database?

[yeshia]

Im going crazy I think. Every single book and tutorial I read on OLAP and Cubes seems to assume that I have an OLAP database. I have a regular old OLTP SQL Server database with about 30 tables or so. Now I believe I want to transform this into a star-schema OLAP database but I do not really know how or if that is even necessary. I went thru the Analysis Services tutorial and got to the part where it wanted me to select the Datasource and then create a DataSourceView. It said to select the Fact table and the Dimensions table. Clearly they are dealing with an OLAP database. But what if I do not have one yet? I do not know where to go from here. Do I just blindly start making a star schema DB? Are there tools that transform OLTP db to OLAP? OR, should I use the OLTP db as the datasource, create a cube and the cube itself is the OLAP DB? That doesnt make sense to me. Any help or explanations would be greatly appreciate as I have scoured the web and bookstores and cannot find a single written document that deals with creating cubes from scratch. That is, starting with an OLTP db. Thanks

[Marcus Scherer]

yeshia,
an existing dimensional star scheme model with fact tables and dimension tables joined through ForeignKey - PrimaryKey relationships facilitates the build of a cube.
You are right that most tutorials assume you have an existing data mart or data warehouse. The step from your OLTP to the dimensional data mart is ETL and has to be done with Integration Services/T-SQL in the Microsoft world.

If I remember right, the Brian Larson book 'Delivering Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 ' starts with an example from OLTP (scratch). It might be the right starting point for you.

Cheers,

Marcus

[johnacandy]

I have the same problem but for oracle.
Is there any reference material like the above for oracles case instead of SQL server