Microsoft offers some data mining functionality of SQL Server 2008 with no local analysis services server in the cloud. The service is offered in two flavors:  a cloud service and as a plug-in for Excel. The analysis tools available for the cloud are mentioned below.

1. Analyze Key Influencers Tool: The Analyze Key Influencers tool detects the influence of the other columns on the values of the target column. An influencers report is generated in a separate sheet, and ranks the key influencers based on their importance. See a sample report below generated from sample data.

Sample Data Snapshot:

Sample Key Influencers Chart generated from above data:

2. Forecast Tool: This tool performs forecasting on a selected table. The forecasted values are added to the original table and highlighted. A chart is generated in a separate sheet, and displays the present and the forecasted evolution of the series. See a sample below.

Sample Forecast Chart:

3. Prediction Calculator: This tool detects the patterns that predict a specific value (the Target) of a column based on values in the other columns. The patterns are presented in a scorecard format that allows assigning scores based on the values of the other columns. The tool also generates a set of Cost/Profit tuning diagrams that allow you to select your scorecard threshold.

The tools such as Categorizer, Scenario Analyzer, and Market Basket Analysis are currently available in the Excel plug-in version only.