PowerPivot for SharePoint (SSAS)
PowerPivot for SharePoint provides server hosting of PowerPivot data in a SharePoint 2010 farm. PowerPivot data is an analytical data model that you build in Excel using the PowerPivot for Excel add-in. Server hosting of that data requires SharePoint 2010, Excel Services, and an installation of PowerPivot for SharePoint.
PowerPivot for SharePoint provides centralized data access to PowerPivot workbooks in a SharePoint environment. Data is loaded on PowerPivot for SharePoint instances in the farm, where it can be refreshed at scheduled intervals using the PowerPivot data refresh capability that the server provides.
PowerPivot for SharePoint is implemented as a shared service, which means that the built-in features and infrastructure can be used to administer, secure, and use a PowerPivot service application. Server and database discovery, redirection, and connection management is all managed at the farm level. Central Administration provides the administrative interface to the services used to manage server identity, server state, and configuration properties.
A complete deployment of PowerPivot for SharePoint includes client and server components that integrate with Excel and Excel Services in a SharePoint farm. The PowerPivot data inside an Excel workbook is an Analysis Services database that requires an Analysis Services xVelocity in-memory analytics engine (VertiPaq) to load and query the data. On a client workstation, the xVelocity engine runs in-process within Excel. On a SharePoint farm, Analysis Services runs on an application server where it is paired with related services that handle requests for PowerPivot data. The following diagram illustrates PowerPivot client and server components:
PowerPivot Web service runs on a web application server. It redirects requests from the web application to a PowerPivot System Service instance in the farm.
PowerPivot System Service issues load requests to the Analysis Services server and manages ongoing connections to data that is already loaded in memory, caching or unloading data if it is no longer used or when there is contention for system resources. It also tracks user activity. Server health data and other usage data is gathered and presented in reports to indicate how well the system is performing.
An Analysis Service server instance in SharePoint integrated mode completes the deployment. It loads, queries, and unloads data. It also processes data if the workbook is configured for PowerPivot data refresh. Each instance is tightly coupled with the local PowerPivot System Service that is part of the same installation.
