[erosenbe0]

OLAP database is just a copy, replica, or archive of data with a schema designed for analytical queries and not for transactional speed and robustness.

Cube means you can answer questions across dimensions of time, region, and the like. Temporal queries are not always simple.

You don't query your live transactional db to answer a question like, "are third week of February margins on Acme Widget Q better in place A or B."

That's really it.