Professional SQL Server™ Analysis Services 2005 with MDX

12.3. Administration via Programming

In Analysis Services 2005 you have the option of automating administrative processes using XML/A commands or using AMO, which in turn communicates with the server using XML/A. AMO provides a well-defined object model that extracts execute and discover XML/A commands that need to be sent to the server and is extremely helpful. Almost all the user interface you saw in SQL Server Management Studio uses the AMO object model while communicating to the server. You learn to manage Analysis Services using AMO in this section. You learn about using XML/A commands and Integration Services to automate some of the management tasks in Chapter 16. You don't have to type in the long code snippets that follow; they are available for download on the book's web site.

12.3.1. Analysis Management Objects (AMO)

In the introduction to this chapter, we mentioned that AMO is an object model that can be used for programmatic administration of an Analysis Services instance. AMO is the replacement for DSO (Decision Support Objects), which shipped in Analysis Services 2000. It is installed and registered into the GAC (Global Assembly Cache) when Analysis Services is installed. The GAC itself is part of the .NET infrastructure where all commonly used .NET assemblies are registered. Now then, the best way to actually learn AMO is to jump in and use it! In this section you learn a few sample AMO applications that will perform some of the administrative operations you saw ...