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Douga's avatar
Douga
Frequent Visitor
9 years ago
Solved

Can't connect to SQL Server 2016 SSAS Tabular Model on local network server from Power BI Desktop

Hello,   I've got a SQL Server 2016 SSAS Tabular Model instance up and running on a customer's local network server. I VPN into the customers network to access their network and the server with the...
  • leonardmurphy's avatar
    leonardmurphy
    9 years ago

    Have you tried typing in the Database (cube) name? The field shows as optional, but I have one instance where, if I leave it blank, it won't find any cubes, but if I fill it in, it works just fine.

  • Douga's avatar
    Douga
    9 years ago

    Thank you leonardmurphy! That did the trick for me.

     

    So in summary here are the two things I needed to do.

     

    1. Run PowerBI Desktop from the command line under the context of the remote user.

    2. Enter the database (cube) name (even though it says it's optional)

     

    Thanks to all who helped with this!

     

    Douga

Anonymous's avatar
Anonymous
Not applicable
9 years ago

Hi Douga,

I cannot reproduce you issue when connecting to remote SQL Server 2016 SSAS Tabular Model from the latest version of Power BI Desktop which is installed on my local desktop PC(Windows 10). In my scenario, the machine running SQL Server 2016 and the PC running Power BI Desktop are in same domain.

In your scenario, it seems that SQL Server 2016 and Power BI Desktop don’t exist in a same domain, in this case, I suspect that SQL Server 2016 cannot recognize your Windows Credentials. You can start SQL Server Profiler of SQL Server 2016 SSAS Tabular, then connect to SSAS from Power BI Desktop and capture details about the login process.

Besides, use runas /netonly command as follows to connect to SSAS from Power BI Desktop and check if it is successful.

1. Open command prompt and run the following command, enter the password of domain user when prompted.

runas /netonly /user: Domain\username "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Power BI Desktop\bin\PBIDesktop.exe"

2. Create a saved windows credential for the SQL Server you want to connect to.

For more details, please check the following similar blogs.
Connect to SQL Servers in another domain using Windows Authentication
Pretend You’re On The Domain With Runas /NetOnly


Thanks,
Lydia Zhang

Douga's avatar
Douga
Frequent Visitor
9 years ago

Thank you for the advice! There was one small change I had to make to your command line, but I'm now able to connect, but with the new issue below. The command line I used was:

runas /netonly /user:userdomain\username "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Power BI Desktop\bin\PBIDesktop.exe"

 

However... I now have a different issue that I don't see when running to a SQL Server 2016 instance running locally on my PC.

 

It only successfully connects now when I choose the "Import" option. When I choose the "Connect Live" option I receive the following error message:

 

"Sorry the server you are trying to connect to doesn't have any models."

 

Any idea why it won't see the models?

 

Just to try and troubleshoot, I installed Power BI Desktop directly on the SSAS server, and I see this same behavior. Any idea why this is the behavior on the server (Windows Server 2012)"

Again, thanks for all your help!

 

Doug A.

  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous
    Not applicable
    9 years ago

    Hi Douga,

    In Power BI Desktop, go to File -> Options and Settings -> Data Source Settings -> Global permissions-> find your SSAS data source->Clear permissions, then connect to SSAS using live option and check if it is successful.

    Thanks,
    Lydia Zhang

    • Douga's avatar
      Douga
      Frequent Visitor
      9 years ago

      Lydia,

       

      Thanks for your help with this.

       

      I’m still getting the “Server doesn’t have any models” message.

       

      As you suggested previously, I am able to connect using “Runas”, but only using the “Import” selection. Using that selection, I did not need to enter a specific username/password so I’m pretty sure that with the “Runas” my credentials are being passed along.

       

      I double checked that the windows user is an SSAS administrator.

       

      I’ve tried different variations for “Server” - using the server name, server IP address, domain name\server name, domainname\IP address, and the servername:2383, etc. None seem to work.

       

      Doug A.

    • mmaldonado's avatar
      mmaldonado
      Advocate I
      9 years ago

      Anonymous, I am also having this same issue.  I am able to import data from the model, but am not able to connect live to the data source.

       

      I am using Azure Analysis Services and created a SSAS 2016 Tabular Model with AdventureWorks2012.  I can connect with no issues in Excel 2013.  When I attempt to Connect Live I recieve the following error message:

       

      Sorry, the server you're trying to connect to doesn't have any models.

       

      However, when I attempt to Import, I then have no problems connecting to the data source.

       

      Any idea on how I can resolve the Connect Live error message?  I cleared the Global Permissions and also reinstalled Power BI Desktop, but still wasn't able to connect.

       

      Thank you,

      Michael

      • leonardmurphy's avatar
        leonardmurphy
        Skilled Sharer
        9 years ago

        Have you tried typing in the Database (cube) name? The field shows as optional, but I have one instance where, if I leave it blank, it won't find any cubes, but if I fill it in, it works just fine.