One of the most significant hidden costs of implementing a data warehouse is the ongoing system maintenance and administration. With conventional technology, specialized skills typically are required to manage the relational database, the OLAP server, and the design and transformation technology. This means that multiple individuals with specific training often are needed to perform integral, related tasks. The Microsoft Data Warehousing Framework provides an integrated management and administration layer that can be shared across components in the data warehousing process.
Microsoft provides a console for the Microsoft product lines that simplifies the transition from task to task, even between separate products. Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is extensible by customers, consultants, and ISVs, providing a highly customized interface for specific environments. Applications are delivered as snap-ins to the console, and can be either a packaged user interface developed by an ISV or a customized interface developed separately, but accessing the capabilities of an underlying product such as SQL Server. Like much of the Microsoft BackOffice family of products, SQL Server 7.0 is delivered as a snap-in to MMC.