Essbase cubes contain multidimensional database components to support multiple views of data. The multidimensional database components are arranged in a “hierarchical tree” (outline) structure. The components include:
Dimensions—Categories of information, such as Location, Products, Stores, and Time.
Members—Content values for dimensions. A Location dimension for example, could contain the members USA, France, San Francisco, Paris, and 35 Main Street.
Generations—Consolidation of dimension levels. The top of each dimension is Generation 1. The generations count down from this position toward each dimension member.
Levels—Groups of similar member types. For example, USA and France could belong to the Country level, San Francisco and Paris could belong to the City level, and 35 Main Street could belong to the Address level. Levels are counted in reverse order of generations and start at zero.
Aliases—(Optional) Descriptive member names stored in alias tables. In report output, aliases can be used instead of member names when member names are non‑descriptive.
Measures—Aggregations stored in fact table columns for quick retrieval by users querying cubes.
Figure 11, Hierarchy of the Location Dimension illustrates a folder tree containing Location dimension members in a cube. In this example, Location is the dimension, and USA, France, and all other branches are its members. Location is generation 1, USA and France are generation 2, San Francisco and Paris are generation 3, and 35 Main St. and 30 rue St. Jacques are generation 4. Levels refer to the branches of each dimension and are in reverse order of generations.
