Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) is a query language for OLAP Databases, much like SQL is a query language for relational databases

=History=

MDX was first introduced as part of OLEDB for OLAP specification in 1997 from Microsoft. The specification was quickly followed by commercial release of Microsoft OLAP Services 7.0 in 1998, and later by Microsoft Analysis Services. While it was not an open standard, but rather Microsoft owned specification, it was adopted by the wide range of OLAP vendors, both servers - Applix, Microstrategy, SAS Institute, SAP AG, Whitelight, NCR and clients - Panorama, Proclarity, Cognos, Business Objects, Brio, Crystal etc. In 2001, Microsoft and Hyperion released the XML for Analysis standard, which included MDX as a query language. This standard is owned by XMLA council which includes most major OLAP vendors.

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