Data Models for Flexera Analytics

IT Asset Management (Cloud)

Two separate packages are supplied with IT Asset Management for use in Flexera Analytics:

• FlexNet Manager Platform Data Warehouse (analysis) contains a dimensional model that allows considerable flexibility for online analytical processing (OLAP). This data comes from the data warehouse database (suggested name: FNMSDataWarehouse), and some report-time specialized queries that calculate trending data sets and the like.

The model consists of the following elements:

• Folder — In the dimensional model, each folder is called an analysis, including Installation analysis for reports about software inventory within your enterprise; and Consumption analysis for reports about license positions.
• Fact — In the dimensional model, the first child of each analysis folder is the central fact around which the related data dimensions and measures are organized. For example, the Installation analysis contains the Installation fact; and similarly, the Consumption analysis starts with the Consumption fact.
• Dimension — In the dimensional model, each dimension gives a related data set that you can use to analyze the central fact. For example, it's obvious that when you report on your Installation fact, you need to analyze in terms of individual software applications; so that there is a Software title dimension available.
• Measure — Each measure contains a specific value derived (in general) from one or more fields in one of the source databases. In the dimensional model, some measures are attached directly to the fact. For example, the Installation fact has an Installed (max qty) measure that you can include in your reports. Measures also relate to other dimensions, but here they are referred to as attributes, and you generally choose from individual values of the attribute, rather than selecting the entire attribute. For example, the Software title dimension expands into a hierarchy of the Publisher, Product, and Application measures; but for creating reports, you generally select one of the publisher's names, and so on.

Figure: Elements in the dimensional data model

The dimensional data model is covered in the following sections.