Transitioning to a BI role

James Serra – Business Intelligence Consultant, SolidQJamesSerra3@gmail.comJamesSerra.com

About me Business Intelligence Consultant, in IT for 28 years Owner of Serra Consulting Services, specializing in

end-to-end Business Intelligence and Data Warehouse solutions using the Microsoft BI stack

Worked as desktop/web/database developer, DBA (for 12 years), BI and DW architect and developer, MDM architect, PDW developer

Been perm, contractor, consultant, business owner Presenter at PASS Business Analytics Conference

and PASS Summit MCSE for SQL Server 2012: Data Platform and BI SME for SQL Server 2012 certs Contributing writer for SQL Server Pro magazine Blog at JamesSerra.com SQL Server MVP

AgendaMy Career PathWhat is Business Intelligence?What is the Microsoft BI stack?BI ConceptsWhy BI is a lucrative careerBenefits of a BI careerHow to make the transition from DBAHow to become a BI expertLessons learned in my transition

Overview

If you are a DBA or have another IT position, you might want to consider moving into a new role, that of a Business Intelligence architect or developer. You might be surprised at the ease of the transition as well as how much you like it. At the very least, you should become familiar with BI as you will likely have to administer it

My Career Path

• Visual Basic developer/database developer• Web developer/database developer• Fantasy football company/DBA• DBA/BI Developer• BI Architect/BI Developer• Data Warehouse/BI Architect• BI Architect• MDM Architect• BI Lead Architect

What is Business Intelligence?

“Business Intelligence is a set of methodologies, processes, architectures, and technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information used to enable more effective strategic, tactical, and operational insights and decision-making”

Or more briefly:

“Gathering of data from multiple sources to present it in a way that allows executives to make better business decisions”

Help with: “I have all this data, what should I do with it?”

“Knowledge is power!”

PerformancePoint Dashboard

What is the Microsoft BI Stack?

• SQL Server Engine – Holds databases for all BI products

• SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) – ETL tools that is used by most BI products to transfer data

• SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) – OLAP cubes containing summarized data

• SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) – Server-based report generation software

• Visual Studio 2008 BIDS, SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)

• Report Builder – Light weight version of SSRS• PerformancePoint – Dashboard creation in SharePoint• Power Pivot – Excel add-in to query data• Power View – Fun, visual, drag-and-drop report

builder

What is the Microsoft BI Stack? (cont)

• Data Mining – Analyze data to find hidden patterns• Master Data Services (MDS) – Centralized data

source• Data Quality Services (DQS) – Manage the integrity

and quality of data• SharePoint

BI Concepts

• Data Warehouse – Central repository of data from multiple sources. Used for reporting and data analysis. Single version of the truth

• Data Mart - A subset of the data warehouse which is usually oriented to a specific business line or team (finance, marketing, sales)

• Master Data Management – Processes, policies and tools that define and manage master data

• Star Schema – One or more fact tables referencing any number of dimension tables

• Cube – Summarization of data to quickly slice and dice

End-to-End BI Solution

Why BI is a lucrative career

• Huge return on investment (ROI)• BI market is hot – large demand, low supply• Huge future growth• Interaction with upper management• High visibility• Highest salary/pay rate• Way for companies to reduce costs without reducing

employee count• Difficulty in finding person with technical and

people skills• Difficult to outsource

Pay Rates/Salary1099 hourly rates to consultants for Microsoft BI stack, not including travel expenses (through a placement firm, so client bill rate is higher):

Architect: $90 - $160Data Mining: $80 - $150BI Developer (Cube and ETL): $80 - $125Cube Designer: $75 - $120ETL Developer: $60 - $110Development/BI DBA: $50 - $90Report Writer: $40 - $65

Client bill rate markup is from 10% - 50%

Salary:

Architect: $90k - $160kData Mining: $75k - $150kBI Developer (Cube and ETL): $75k - $125kCube Designer: $65k - $110kETL Developer: $50k - $100kDevelopment/BI DBA: $50k - $90kReport Writer: $40k - $65k

Benefits of BI career

• Top pay• Way to move up career ladder• Way to learn new skills, grow career• Alternative to management path• More rewarding• Different/New challenges• Many new features/products - Always learning• Won’t have black hole in your knowledge base

How to make the transition from DBA

• Start a pet project at work using BI• Start a pet project at home using BI• Ask to become part of new BI project• The tools are there for you to learn• Grow past your defined roles• Your DBA skills will come in handy• Utilize online resources (videos, blogs, white papers,

etc)• Find a mentor• Find a new job that splits BI and DBA• Get BI training at work

How to become a BI expert

• Learn all the tools• Build a project from beginning to end• Improve your people skills• Start a blog• Present sessions at user groups• All about improving your brand• Always be learning• Embrace change – Don’t stay in your comfort zone• Take projects where you can learn new technologies• Read The Microsoft Data Warehouse Toolkit by Ralph

Kimball• Obtain the Microsoft Certifications

Lessons learned in my transition

• Difficulty with learning star schema• OLTP vs OLAP• Make MDM part of every data warehouse• Understanding all the BI reporting tools• Learn SharePoint• Building a data warehouse is 75% of the solution• MDX is a pain• DBA skillset can be very helpful

Resources• DBA’s, want to earn the big bucks? Learn BI: http://bit.ly/wJ7u5u• Blueprint for consulting riches: http://bit.ly/X2vMrf • How To Make a LOT More Money as a Consultant: http://bit.ly/NgaYdo• End-User Microsoft BI Tools – Clearing up the confusion: http://bit.ly/SrBMLT

Questions?

James Serra, Business Intelligence ConsultantEmail me at: JamesSerra3@gmail.comFollow me at: @JamesSerra Link to me at: www.linkedin.com/in/JamesSerra Visit my blog at: JamesSerra.com (where this slide deck will be posted)