Recommendations required on how best to schedule an automatic refresh of an Analysis Services db

[rsbin]

Happy Friday,

Looking to the community to help me navigate the best way to create a scheduled job that will update an AS Model every morning.

Our old method I believe was written using an SSIS package, but due to a catastrophic crash of our VM, it has been lost.  This was created by colleagues who are no longer with the company, so I kinda feel stranded.

Believe I have the opportunity here to upgrade to the latest and most up to date product / services for accomplishing this.

Looking for guidance and a helping hand.

Much thanks and kindest regards,

[TomMartens · Accepted solution]

Hey @rsbin,

then it's simple use Azure Automation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/analysis-services/analysis-services-refresh-azure-automation

Regards,

Tom

[rsbin]

@TomMartens ,

Thank you Tom for the link.  I had come across it, but wasn't sure if it was the best way to approach my issue.

Appreciate your insights and recommendation.

Thanks again and Best Regards,

[TomMartens]

Hey @rsbin ,

unfortunately it is not that simple as it may seem.

Based on this "... an Analysis Services db" I assume you are talking about an Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Servives on-premises instance, am I right?

Even if similar, it's not the same as a Power BI Service semantic model or an Azure Analysis Service model.

Then If you do not have the she sources of the SSIS packages, then it's more or less impossible or at least very hard to recreate something. The reason for this is the business logic that might be implemented in the SSIS DB packages.

I recommend the following:

• Look hard for the SSIS packages, maybe this might be helpful: Extract, Import and Migrate SSIS Project (mssqltips.com)
• Consider to rebuild the AS model in Power BI, you haev to know the size of the current AS model and you need the projection of future growth. I often experience that on-premises AS instances are used because of the size of the model, that would require Power BI Premium
• Delve into the existing model, analyze the data sources and derive the business logic and re-implement the ETL, either you create SSIS packages again or you are using dataflows, make sure there is a mechanism to "keep the sources safe". Use Azure DevOps, git or something similar.
  

I prefer using Power BI based semantic models, but I have Power BI Premium.

Hopefully, this provides some ideas of how to tackle your challenge.

Regards,

Tom

[rsbin]

@TomMartens ,

Thank you so much for the reply.  After reading your reply, I probably posed my original question incorrectly.

I have the Visual Studio Model and I have access to Azure Analysis Services.

I can "process" the model manually every morning.  However, my users require it much earlier than I start my work day.  We used to have an SSIS package (I believe) that would process the model at 5 or 6 am.

I was asking if I should try to replicate that or are there other tools such as PowerShell / Logic Apps or something else that is more up to date or better.

Thanks again Tom.  Appreciate your input.