Data Mining Algorithms (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

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Data Mining Algorithms (Analysis Services

- Data Mining)
SQL Server 2016

A data mining algorithm is a set of heuristics and calculations that creates a data mining model from data. To create
a model, the algorithm first analyzes the data you provide, looking for specific types of patterns or trends. The
algorithm uses the results of this analysis to define the optimal parameters for creating the mining model. These
parameters are then applied across the entire data set to extract actionable patterns and detailed statistics.
The mining model that an algorithm creates from your data can take various forms, including:
A set of clusters that describe how the cases in a dataset are related.

A decision tree that predicts an outcome, and describes how different criteria affect that outcome.
A mathematical model that forecasts sales.

A set of rules that describe how products are grouped together in a transaction, and the probabilities that
products are purchased together.
MicrosoftSQL ServerAnalysis Services provides multiple algorithms for use in your data mining solutions. These
algorithms are implementations of some of the most popular methodologies used in data mining. All of the
Microsoft data mining algorithms can be customized and are fully programmable using the provided APIs, or by
using the data mining components in SQL Server Integration Services.

You can also use third-party algorithms that comply with the OLEDB for Data Mining specification, or develop
custom algorithms that can be registered as services and then used within the SQL Server Data Mining framework.

Choosing the Right Algorithm

Choosing the best algorithm to use for a specific analytical task can be a challenge. While you can use different
algorithms to perform the same business task, each algorithm produces a different result, and some algorithms
can produce more than one type of result. For example, you can use the Microsoft Decision Trees algorithm not
only for prediction, but also as a way to reduce the number of columns in a dataset, because the decision tree can
identify columns that do not affect the final mining model.

Choosing an Algorithm by Type

Analysis Services includes the following algorithm types:

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Classification algorithms predict one or more discrete variables, based on the other attributes in the
dataset.

Regression algorithms predict one or more continuous variables, such as profit or loss, based on other
attributes in the dataset.
Segmentation algorithms divide data into groups, or clusters, of items that have similar properties.

Association algorithms find correlations between different attributes in a dataset. The most common
application of this kind of algorithm is for creating association rules, which can be used in a market
basket analysis.

Sequence analysis algorithms summarize frequent sequences or episodes in data, such as a Web path
flow.
However, there is no reason that you should be limited to one algorithm in your solutions. Experienced analysts
will sometimes use one algorithm to determine the most effective inputs (that is, variables), and then apply a
different algorithm to predict a specific outcome based on that data. SQL Server data mining lets you build
multiple models on a single mining structure, so within a single data mining solution you might use a clustering
algorithm, a decision trees model, and a nave Bayes model to get different views on your data. You might also
use multiple algorithms within a single solution to perform separate tasks: for example, you could use
regression to obtain financial forecasts, and use a neural network algorithm to perform an analysis of factors
that influence sales.

Choosing an Algorithm by Task

To help you select an algorithm for use with a specific task, the following table provides suggestions for the
types of tasks for which each algorithm is traditionally used.

Examples of tasks
Predicting a discrete attribute
Flag the customers in a prospective buyers list as good or poor
prospects.
Calculate the probability that a server will fail within the next 6
months.
Categorize patient outcomes and explore related factors.

Predicting a continuous attribute

Forecast next year's sales.

Microsoft algorithms to
use
Microsoft Decision Trees
Algorithm
Microsoft Naive Bayes
Algorithm
Microsoft Clustering
Algorithm

Microsoft Neural Network

Algorithm
Microsoft Decision Trees
Algorithm

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Data Mining Algorithms (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

Predict site visitors given past historical and seasonal trends.
Generate a risk score given demographics.

Predicting a sequence
Perform clickstream analysis of a company's Web site.
Analyze the factors leading to server failure.
Capture and analyze sequences of activities during outpatient visits, to
formulate best practices around common activities.
Finding groups of common items in transactions
Use market basket analysis to determine product placement.
Suggest additional products to a customer for purchase.
Analyze survey data from visitors to an event, to find which activities
or booths were correlated, to plan future activities.
Finding groups of similar items
Create patient risk profiles groups based on attributes such as
demographics and behaviors.
Analyze users by browsing and buying patterns.
Identify servers that have similar usage characteristics.

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Microsoft Time Series
Algorithm

Microsoft Linear Regression

Algorithm
Microsoft Sequence
Clustering Algorithm

Microsoft Association
Algorithm

Microsoft Decision Trees

Algorithm

Microsoft Clustering
Algorithm

Microsoft Sequence
Clustering Algorithm

Related Content

The following table provides links to learning resources for each of the data mining algorithms that are provided in
Analysis Services:
Basic algorithm
description

Explains what the algorithm does and how it works, and outlines possible business
scenarios where the algorithm might be useful.
Microsoft Association Algorithm
Microsoft Clustering Algorithm

Microsoft Decision Trees Algorithm

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Microsoft Linear Regression Algorithm

Microsoft Logistic Regression Algorithm

Microsoft Naive Bayes Algorithm

Microsoft Neural Network Algorithm

Microsoft Sequence Clustering Algorithm

Microsoft Time Series Algorithm
Technical
reference

Provides technical detail about the implementation of the algorithm, with academic
references as necessary. Lists the parameters that you can set to control the behavior of
the algorithm and customize the results in the model. Describes data requirements and
provides performance tips if possible.
Microsoft Association Algorithm Technical Reference
Microsoft Clustering Algorithm Technical Reference

Microsoft Decision Trees Algorithm Technical Reference

Microsoft Linear Regression Algorithm Technical Reference

Microsoft Logistic Regression Algorithm Technical Reference

Microsoft Naive Bayes Algorithm Technical Reference

Microsoft Neural Network Algorithm Technical Reference

Microsoft Sequence Clustering Algorithm Technical Reference

Microsoft Time Series Algorithm Technical Reference
Model content

Explains how information is structured within each type of data mining model, and
explains how to interpret the information stored in each of the nodes.
Mining Model Content for Association Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)
Mining Model Content for Clustering Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

Mining Model Content for Decision Tree Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

Mining Model Content for Linear Regression Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

Mining Model Content for Logistic Regression Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)
Mining Model Content for Naive Bayes Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

Mining Model Content for Neural Network Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

Mining Model Content for Sequence Clustering Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

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Mining Model Content for Time Series Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)
Data mining
queries

Provides multiple queries that you can use with each model type. Examples include
content queries that let you learn more about the patterns in the model, and prediction
queries to help you build predictions based on those patterns.
Association Model Query Examples
Clustering Model Query Examples

Decision Trees Model Query Examples

Linear Regression Model Query Examples

Logistic Regression Model Query Examples

Naive Bayes Model Query Examples

Neural Network Model Query Examples

Sequence Clustering Model Query Examples

Time Series Model Query Examples

Related Tasks
Topic

Description

Determine the algorithm used by a data mining model

Query the Parameters Used to Create a Mining

Model

Create a Custom Plug-In Algorithm

Plugin Algorithms

Explore a model using an algorithm-specific viewer

Data Mining Model Viewers

View the content of a model using a generic table format

Browse a Model Using the Microsoft Generic

Content Tree Viewer

Learn about how to set up your data and use algorithms

to create models

Mining Structures (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

Mining Models (Analysis Services - Data Mining)

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See Also

Data Mining Tools

Community Additions
2016 Microsoft

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