Basic concepts- Microstrategy Interview Question and Answers

What is ROLAP and MOLAP? Is MicroStrategy a ROLAP or

MOLAP tool?

ROLAP (Relational online Analytical Processing) tools do not use pre-calculated data cubes.
Instead, they intercept the query and pose the question to the standard relational database and
its tables in order to bring back the data required to answer the question

MOLAP (Multidimensional online Analytical Processing) tools utilize a pre-calculated data set,
commonly referred to as a data cube, that contains all the possible answers to a given range of
questions.

MicroStartegy is ROLAP tool.

What is star schema and snowflake schema?

Star Schema is a highly denormalized schema whereas snowflake schema is hight normalized
schema.Star schema is characterized by large number of rows in a table and less number of
joins between tables.Snowflake schema is characterized by less number of rows in a table while
more number of joins between tables.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of star and

snowflake schema?

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Basic concepts- Microstrategy Interview Question and Answers

Star Schema Advantages: Reduces the number of joins between the tables and hence faster
performance

Star Schema Disadvantages:Requires Most amount of storage space.

Snowflake Schema Advantages: Minimum storage space and minimum data redudancy

Snowflake Schema Disadvantages:Requires more joins to get information from look up tables
hence slow performance.

What is the difference between 2 tier,3 tier and 4 tier

architecture in MicroStrategy?

In 2 tier architecture, the MicroStrategy Desktop itself queries aganist the Data warehoue and
the Metadata with out the Intermediate tier of the Intelligence server.

The 3 Tier architecture comprises a Intelligence server between MicroStrategy Desktop and the
data Warehouse and the Metadata.

The 4 tier architecture is same as 3 tier except it has a additional component of MicroStratey
Web.

What are adhoc reports and static reports?

Adhoc reports run in real time based on the input parameters provided by the user at the run
time.In Microstrategy, adhoc reports are created using Prompts.

In static reports, users won't be provide any input parameters.These reports are usaully
schedule to run overnight and ready to view immediatley in the mornings using cache.

What is a filter?

Filter is a public object.It is used to restrict the data retrived by the report from the database

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tables.From SQL perspective it corresponds to the "WHERE" Clause.

What are VLDB properties?

Using VLDB properties we can change the way how the SQL is generated.Some of them are
below:

Perform full outer joins

Check for Zeros and Nulls in the denominator while performing divisions in Metrics.
Creating Sub queries
Creating temperory tables.

What are Consolidations?

Consloidations enable to group together attibute elements and create a virtual attribute.They
perform Row level maths.

What are custom groups?

Custom groups are used to create different filters to different rows of a report.For example, a
report can created to display top 5 customers as well as bottom 5 customers in the one report
using custom group.

What are Passthrough Functions?

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Basic concepts- Microstrategy Interview Question and Answers

Pass through functions are used to utilize various special functions that specific to
databases.Some of the passthrough functions available are Applysimple and Applycomparision.

What is a Security filter?

Security filter is used to apply security at the database data level.Whenever a users associated
with security filter runs a report, a WHERE clause is always included in the report sql with the
condition defined in the Security Filter.

Is that possible to Insert and Update a record in the

Database through Microstrategy?

Answer-1:
You can do so by ODBC test tool one of the component of microstrategy through wich u can
update delete or even alter the table specification as per your need.

In Microstrategy, how can you direct the sql generated to

use a specifc table?

Answer-1:
By changing the Logical Size of the "specific" table.
After changing table size, you need to update schema.

In Microstrategy, what are Logical Views used for?

Answer-1:
A logical view is a view that u obtain by querying the db thru sql. these result can be stored as

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a table then.

In Microstrategy, how can you direct the sql generated to

use a specifc table?

Answer-1:
Using the Level parameter in the Metric level options

Answer-2:
Assuming you have OLAP licence,the easiest way to direct to a particular table is to create a
dummy fact on the table,include the fact in metric and put the metric in report objects.

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