Connect to Azure Analysis Services with BI Tools

Connect to Azure Analysis Services with Business Intelligence Tools

This document provides instructions on how to connect popular business intelligence (BI) tools to your Azure Analysis Services (AAS) models. Leveraging AAS enables powerful semantic modeling, faster query performance, and a scalable platform for your analytical workloads.

Supported BI Tools

Azure Analysis Services is designed to work seamlessly with a wide range of BI tools. The most common ones include:

Power BI: Microsoft's flagship business analytics service.
SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) client tools: Visual Studio with Analysis Services projects, SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT).
Microsoft Excel: For ad-hoc analysis and reporting.
Tableau: A leading data visualization platform.
Third-party tools: Many other tools that support XML for Analysis (XMLA) protocol.

Connecting with Power BI

Connecting Power BI to Azure Analysis Services is straightforward:

Open Power BI Desktop.
On the Home tab, click Get data.
In the Get Data dialog, select Azure Analysis Services.
Enter the Server name. You can find this in the Azure portal under your Azure Analysis Services resource's Overview page.
Choose the Data connectivity mode (Import or Live Connection). For Azure Analysis Services, Live Connection is generally recommended for real-time data access.
Click OK.
If prompted, sign in with your Azure credentials.

Tip: Using Live Connection in Power BI ensures that your reports always reflect the latest data directly from Azure Analysis Services without importing it.

Connecting with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is essential for managing your Azure Analysis Services instance, performing administrative tasks, and executing queries.

Download and install the latest version of SSMS.
Launch SSMS and connect to your Azure Analysis Services instance.
In the Connect to Server dialog:
- Server type: Select Analysis Services.
- Server name: Enter the server name of your Azure Analysis Services instance (e.g., your-aas-server.windows.net).
- Authentication: Use Azure Active Directory - Universal with MFA or Azure Active Directory - Password for secure authentication.
Click Connect.


-- Example DAX query in SSMS
EVALUATE
  SUMMARIZECOLUMNS(
    'DimDate'[CalendarYear],
    'DimProduct'[EnglishProductName],
    "Total Sales", SUM(FactInternetSales[SalesAmount])
  )
ORDER BY 'DimDate'[CalendarYear]

Connecting with Excel

Excel can connect to Azure Analysis Services to create pivot tables and analyze data.

Open Microsoft Excel.
Go to the Data tab, click Get Data > From Other Sources > From Analysis Services.
Enter the Server name.
Select Connect live for a live connection.
Click OK and sign in if prompted.
Select the tables and views you want to use.

Connecting with Tableau

Tableau provides robust connectivity to Azure Analysis Services.

Open Tableau Desktop.
Under Connect > To a Server, select Azure Analysis Services.
Enter the Server name.
Sign in using your Azure credentials.
Select the desired database and tables.

Connection Strings and Authentication

When connecting programmatically or with certain tools, you might need to construct a connection string. The general format is:


Server=your-aas-server.windows.net;Provider=MSOLAP;Encrypted=True;Initial Catalog=YourDatabaseName;

For authentication, it's highly recommended to use Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) integration. This ensures secure and centralized identity management.

Note: Ensure that the user account or service principal you are using has been granted appropriate permissions (e.g., Reader, Contributor, Administrator) on the Azure Analysis Services instance.

Troubleshooting Common Connection Issues

Firewall Rules: Verify that your Azure Analysis Services firewall rules allow connections from your IP address or VNet.
Permissions: Double-check that your Azure AD account has the necessary permissions on the AAS server and databases.
Server Name: Ensure you are using the correct fully qualified server name.
Credentials: Confirm you are using the correct Azure AD credentials and that Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is handled correctly if applicable.

Important: Always use Azure Active Directory for authentication to enhance security and manageability of your Azure Analysis Services instance. Avoid using SQL authentication if possible.

For more detailed information on specific tools or advanced configuration, please refer to the official documentation for each BI tool and Azure Analysis Services.