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BI xPress - Product Overview


BI xPress 

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Speed up Microsoft business intelligence development and administration with BI xPress. BI xPress integrates directly into Visual Studio for developers or has a launcher application for DBAs who prefer to not work in BIDS. The tool allows you to quickly build packages, install robust auditing frameworks and helps DBAs deploy packages to name just a few features. The below videos will walk you through a few of the BI xPress features.

Here are a few of the key features of BI xPress:
  • Create a robust auditing and notification framework for SSIS
  • Speed BI development with SSAS calculations and SSIS packages
  • Make configuration and deploy of your SSIS envrionment a breeze
  • Hundreds of other features!
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NEW! SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Features

Feature Description
SSRS Reporting Performance Monitor Reporting Performance Monitor BI xPress now makes monitoring and troubleshooting of SSRS reports easier by adding the Reporting Performance Monitor. The reporting performance monitor will display critical performance statistics related to SSRS reports:
  • Get a high level overview of a report server.
  • Displays stats such as average runtime, average processing time, number of executions, amount of data transferred, and memory usage.
  • Shows the percentage of runtime that is consumed by processing a report.
SSAS MDX Calculation Builder Report Deployment Tool Provides a way for users to move reports from one Reporting Services instance to another within their domain allowing easy-as-pie deployment of reports from a QA server to a production server simply by dragging-and-dropping reports.

SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) Features [2005, 2008, and now 2012!]

Feature Description
SSIS Logging Auditing Framework Wizard The Add/Update and Remove Auditing Framework command will open the Auditing Framework Wizard. The Auditing Framework Wizard will allow you to add, remove, or edit the auditing framework for each of the packages in the solution your are currently working in. You can specify Auditing Database Connection Information, generate Configuration Files for the packages, and specify logging options.
SSIS Monitoring Console Monitoring Console The SSIS Monitoring Console allows you to monitor current or past SSIS executions. You can use control flow diagrams to see package execution visually just like BIDS while you debug packages. You can also view pre defined reports that will display extraction and load details/trends, recent executions, any packages that may be currently running, package execution trends, execution dashboards, and execution alerts. The data in the reports can be filtered in a variety of way including by date, package, machine, execution account, and execution mode.
SSIS Email Notification Notification Framework Wizard The Add/Update and Remove Notification Framework command will open the Notification Framework Wizard. The Notification Framework Wizard will allow you to create notification event handlers on events such as OnError, OnWarning, OnSuccess, and OnComplete for any of the packages in the current solution. You can also choose to be notified on your mobile device by specifying a phone number and service provider.
SSIS Scripting Snippets Wizard The Add Snippet command will open the Snippet Wizard. The Snippet Wizard will allow you to add script code (VB.net/C#) from reusable code library.
SSIS Deployment Package Deployment Wizard The Deploy SSIS Package command will launch the Package Deployment wizard. The Package Deployment Wizard will allow you to quickly and easily deploy any of the packages in the current solution.
SSIS Quick Deploy Quick Package Deployment Wizard (BIDS Only) The Quick Deploy SSIS Package command allows you to deploy selected packages in one click using predefined target location selection. Unlike other wizards this wizard runs in a separate thread so you can work with BIDS while deployment is in progress.
SSIS Expression Expression Highlighter The Expression highlighter will automatically highlights various SSIS objects with expressions or external configuration with unique icons. You can highlight on demand by clicking this icon or enable auto highlighting by selecting "Auto Highlight" option found on "Expression List" plug-in window.
Package Builder/Template Wizard Package builder option helps you to build packages quickly from existing templates. There are 6 different options on the package builder wizard screen. You can create/modify templates or packages using this option.
Secure Configurations Manager Using this option you can create secure configurations and add/edit configuration values easily in few clicks for one or multiple packages. You can also generate multiple shared configurations for selected connections and adjust naming convention using smart rename feature.
Expression List and Expression Editor The Expression List plugin lists all objects with expressions along with object name, property name and expression. You can edit each expression with by clicking edit link. BI xPress has custom expression editor which has all features from standard expression editor and reusable expression snippet library (more than 25 snippets provided).
SSIS Variable Edit Variable Edit Variable Edit Plugin opens Value Expression. If variable is set to EvaluateAsExpression then BI xPress expression editor is displayed. With value editor you can easily edit multiple line text which is not easily possible with standard BIDS functionality.
SSIS Variable Copy/Move to New Scope Variable Copy/Move to New Scope Variable copy/move feature allows to copy variables from one scope to another within the same or other packages with single click.
Variable Dependency Scanner Find unused variables, Rename or Delete Unused variables. Find dependent objects for selected variables (e.g. Tasks, Precedence Constraints, Connections, Variables with expression, Configurations).
SSIS Expression Manager Expression Manager Using this option you can add/edit user defined expressions. User defined expressions are listed under "Snippets->My Expressions" node in the expression editor.
SSIS Sort Packages Sort Packages With this option you can sort packages listed under "SSIS Packages" node in solution explorer. You can sort packages by name, size and date modified.
SSIS Compile Script Tasks/Components Compile Script Tasks/Components This command generates compiled code for all script tasks and script components (inside DataFlow) for single or all packages of your SSIS Project.
SSIS Config Edit Config Edit Using this option you can easily edit XML or SQL Configurations.

SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) Features [2005, 2008, and now 2012!]

Feature Description
SSAS MDX Calculation Builder MDX Calculation Builder This feature allows you create complex MDX Calculations in few clicks from several available MDX templates. This option is available when you are in SSAS Cube Designer and Calculations tab is active.


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Robust and Easy SSIS Auditing Framework


Quickly employ an auditing framework of best practice SSIS patterns to detect failures and performance problems in your SSIS packages. With it's reports, you'll surely pass any Sarbanes-Oxley audit.
 

SSIS Auditing Framework
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Amazing Operational Reports


Easily breakdown your business intelligence environment's performance problems and diagnose outages visually. Find where you have capacity issues coming before they cause a system issue.



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Quickly Catch Errors with the Notification Framework

The notification framework will notify you through easy to read emails or SMS text messages when a package completes or fails. Translate complex error messages into an easy to read email to help you diagnose your problem faster.


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Develop Faster with the SSIS Package Builder


Create SSIS packages in seconds with the Package Builder. Share patterns of code with other developers or use our pre-built templates to help you learn SSIS faster.

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Create SSIS Scripts in Seconds with Snippets


 Do you find scripting in SSIS difficult? The snippet feature in BI xPress will allow you to create SSIS Script Task code from our extensive library of scripts with two clicks. If you want more, you can create and share more of the scripts.



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Deploy Packages at the Speed of Click

Deploy hundreds of SSIS packages and their config files in seconds with BI xPress. You can also change the location of the configuration file easily and change the protection of any package. With the new Quick Deploy feature, you can save your favorite servers to deploy even faster to.



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Package Advanced Configuration
Secure your most valuable SSIS assets and seamlessly migrate packages from development to production. The configuration manager allows you to encrypt private information like connection strings and variables.
 

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MDX is a Breeze with Calculation Builder
Hate writing MDX? BI xPress can create MDX calculations in seconds with the Calculation Builder. Color code your measures and shave days off your project.


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Dozens of Other Features
There are dozens of other features in BI xPress to help you code and manage Microsoft BI faster and easier. BI xPress will show you easily where your package is made dynamic and help you write expressions. It will also help you move variables to new packages.


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