Context of Connections

The features and characteristics of PivotTable® Service are defined by the context of the connection that it is managing. There are three connection contexts in PivotTable Service:

• Connected to Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 Analysis Services
  
  
• Connected to an OLE DB provider
  
  
• Connected to a local cube or a local data mining model

When PivotTable Service is connected to an Analysis server, details such as the communication protocol between the client application, server management, and the cache management are hidden from the client application. This simplifies implementation of client applications. It is possible for the client application to interact with any type of cube on the Analysis server, create local cubes based on server cubes (MOLAP cubes), create local cubes based on separate relational databases (that is, ROLAP cubes), create a local data mining model, and interact with existing data mining models.

When connected to a ROLAP cube, PivotTable Service acts as a server for elements that reside in the local cube and as an interface for elements of the cube that reside in the relational database.

When connected to a local MOLAP cube or data mining model, PivotTable Service takes on the role of the Analysis server. PivotTable Service interprets commands from the client application and executes them against the local data source, without need for communication with a separate Analysis server. PivotTable Service formats the results and passes them back to the client application.