Using Alternative Design Approaches

In some situations, consider one of the following approaches:

Table 23 describes situations in which you might consider an alternative approach to managing attribute data in a database.

Table 23. Considering Alternatives to Attribute Dimensions

Situation

Alternative

Analyze attributes of dense dimensions

UDAs or shared members

Perform batch calculation of data

Shared members or members of separate, standard dimensions

Define the name of a member of an attribute dimension as a value that results from a formula

Shared members or members of separate, standard dimensions

Define attributes that vary over time

Members of separate, standard dimensions. For example, to track product maintenance costs over time, the age of the product at the time of maintenance is important. However, using the attribute feature, you could associate only one age with the product. You need multiple members in a separate dimension for each time period that you want to track.

Minimize retrieval time with large numbers of base-dimension members

Batch calculation with shared members or members of separate, standard dimensions.