What is the Oracle OLAP Option?

Overview
Oracle OLAP Option is the multidimensional engine embedded in Oracle Database. It includes a powerful dimensional data model that:

• simplifies the task of defining calculations
• expressing queries
• supports advanced multidimensional calculations
• supports advanced planning functions
• provides a transaction model suitable for what-if analysis and modelling.

It is also known for excellent query response times – and all Oracle OLAP data is accessible through SQL. Because the Oracle OLAP Option is a native part of Oracle Database, it leverage's the scalable, secure and resilient platform of the Oracle Database. If you have the Enterprise Edition then you have the OLAP option available.

Note : This is a paid option. Verify with your Oracle representative whether or not you can legally use it.


History
Here is a concise overview and history of the Oracle OLAP Option. Oracle's history is echoed in RED

The Oracle OLAP Option originally started life over 35 years ago as the ground breaking multi-dimensional engine called Express. The time line for Express and its subsequent integration into the Oracle database is as follows:

• 1967 – Management Decision Systems (MDS) was founded by Leonard M. Lodish, Ph.D. (The Wharton School University of Pennsylvania) and John D.C. Little, Ph.D. (Sloan School of Management, M.I.T.)
• 1967 – MIT Project started with MDS product and marketing managers
• 1977 – Software Development Laboratories (SDL) is the predecessor of Oracle was founded by Larry Ellison, Bob Miner and Ed Oates. (src)
• 1978 – Oracle Version 1 (never officially released) (src)
• 1979 – Oracle Version 2 (RDBMS) was released, SDL becomes Relational Software Inc. (RSI) is the predecessor of Oracle (src)
• 1982 – RSI becomes Oracle Systems
• 1983 – Oracle Version 3, built on C, is the first RDBMS to run on mainframes, minicomputers and PCs. (src)
• 1983 – MDS begin work rewriting Express in the C programming language from AED.
• 1984 – Oracle Version 4 was released, supports read consistency. Oracle ports Oracle Database to the PC platform. (src)
• 1985 – Oracle Version 5 was released, one of the first RDBMSs to operate in client/server environments. (src)
• 1985 – Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) purchased MDS. Express was completely rewritten in C
• 1988 – Oracle Version 6 was released, row-level locking, hot backup and pl/sql. (src)
• 1988 – IRI introduced first financial product, Financial Management System
• 1992 – Oracle Version 7, stored procedures, triggers, support for declarative referential integrity, and PL/SQL embedded in the database. (src)
• 1993 – E.F. Codd coined the term OLAP and E.F. Codd, S.B. Codd and C.T. Salley published “Providing OLAP to User-Analysts: An IT Mandate” and devises the 12 rules for OLAP
• 1995 – Oracle purchased Express and related applications from IRI
• 1996 – Oracle Express Server was proven with Multithreaded server
• 1996 – Oracle introduced Sales Analyser and Financial Analyser which employs Oracle Express
• 1997 – Oracle Version 8 was released (src)
• 1998-1999 – Oracle Version 8i was released , embraces Java and Internet (src)
• 1998-2000 – Oracle continued development of Express and in the late 90's begin work on Kernel integration
• 2001 – Oracle 9i Release 1 was released, Oracle Real Application Clusters (src)
• 2002 – 9.2.0 – Express was fully integrated into the Oracle Kernel as the OLAP option
• 2002 – Oracle 9i Release 2 (Unbreakable) was released (src)
• 2003 – 9.2.0.3 – The OLAP option test with more than 10,000 users in Oracle 9i RAC
• 2003 – Oracle Warehouse Builder proven with Multidimensional datatypes
• 2003 – Oracle Database 10g (Grid) was released
• 2004 – 10.1.0 – OLAP option proven with SQL access and partitioning
• 2004 – Oracle Discoverer OLAP offered Dimensionally oriented access to Multidimensional datatypes
• 2004 – Oracle Enterprise Planning and Budgeting employs the OLAP option
• 2004 – 10.1.0 – OLAP option introduced patented technology for aggregating and managing sparse data
• 2005 – 10.2.0 – OLAP option proven with terabyte Analytic Workspaces
• 2007 – Oracle Database 11g was released
• 2007 – 11.1 – OLAP option integrated with query rewrite engine to expose cubes as materialised views.

From the above timeline it is clear that the technology behind the OLAP option itself is not new. The core technology has been around for as long as Oracle so you can be assured it is robust, exciting and feature rich. With the release of 9iR2 the Oracle Database OLAP Option became fully integrated into the database kernel, and with subsequent database releases access to this advanced analytical technology has continued to become more and more transparent.