DSA BI Components

The following are the main components of the DataSelf Analytics Solution

Solution

DSA - DataSelf Analytics

the complete package that provides self-service reporting and analytics. Consisting of the following backend and client components.

Hardware (on premises or in the cloud)

Computer Platform

computer hardware that runs an operating system. A network server, a cloud server, a local desktop or a virtual machine.

DSA Data Computer Platform

The Computer Platform that holds the Data Warehouse framework (DataSelf ETL and SQL Server)

DSA Server Computer Platform

The Computer Platform that holds DataSelf Analytics Server (sometimes the same computer platform as DSA Data Computer Platform) Software

DataSelf ETL

The ETL engine that manages the DSA Data Warehouse (a SQL Server database)

SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server software, that holds the DSA Data Warehouse

Data Warehouse

The SQL Server database that is created, refreshed, and controlled by DataSelf ETL; the base of all DSA reporting data.

DataSelf Analytics Server

 “DSA Server” = DataSelf’s OEM version of Tableau Server (web-based end-user graphical reporting software)

DataSelf Analytics Desktop

"DSA Desktop" = DataSelf’s OEM version of Tableau Desktop

Metadata Components

DSN

The connection instructions that allow the DataSelf ETL to connect to a data source, so it can import the data. DSN’s may be DataSelf ETL’s internal direct connections to MS SQL, MS Access, or MS Excel, or an ODBC DSN to other data source types.

DSA Template

On the DSA Data Computer Platform, the folder ..\Program Files (x86)\DataSelf\DataSelf ETL\Project\ProjectName  that contains the complete definitions for the data components and Out-of-the-Box reporting that is specific to an ERP or other solution. The DSBI_Client subfolder contains the templates for the tds and twb components of the Reporting Packages.

DSA Connector

  The organized, labeled, user-ready data source needed for DSA Server or DSA Desktop reports. A combination of the Data Warehouse’s SQL views (supplying the data) and a DSA Desktop “tds” file (that organizes the data fields into hierarchies and usually supplies additional formulas and other reporting objects.)

Reporting Package

 One reporting unit set: a DSA Connector and its Out-of-the-Box Reports and Dashboards. See DSA Reporting Packages

DSA Server “Project”

the groupings on DataSelf Analytics Server that function like Windows folders to hold and organize data sources and reports, and are usually used to help define security settings.