SQL Server 2012 Analysis Services Partitioning Performance Demonstration

Problem

How much of an improvement in processing time can a simple SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) partitioning structure provide? Can you provide any examples? Does this processing time improvement only apply to the fact tables? Check out this tip to learn more.

Solution

In this tip, we will show the differences in processing times between a cube with the default single partition created by Visual Studio and a cube utilizing partitions based on the year of an event in a fact table. Also, we will see how the processing times change with increasing numbers of records in the fact table.