SSAS Compare

Description

SSAS Compare lets you review and deploy just the changes you want to SSAS databases. Deploy changes from one SSAS database to another, deliver updates from test to production, and save time comparing and processing.

Getting Started

  1. Installing SSAS Compare

    You must have local admin rights and a full version of .NET 4 to install SSAS Compare.

    To install SSAS Compare:

    SSAS Compare installer

    After installation, SSAS Compare is listed on the Start menu under Red Gate.

    SSAS Compare in the Start menu

    SSAS Compare is a stand-alone application. In the future, it may be integrated with the BIDS/SQL Server Data Tools environment in Visual Studio.

  2. Setting up a comparison

    With SSAS Compare, you can select SSAS databases to compare differences between cubes, dimensions, measures and other objects.

    To do this:

    1. Launch SSAS Compare.

      The New Comparison dialog box is displayed:

      Setting up a New Comparison in SSAS Compare

    2. Select the databases you want to compare.
    3. Click Compare Now.

    The comparison results are displayed in the upper pane:

    SSAS Compare comparison results

    Objects identical in both databases are displayed in gray. Objects with differences are displayed in black. Parents of objects are highlighted in blue.

    • Click the drop-down arrows to see the contents of an object.
    • Click an object to view its properties in the lower pane.
  3. Deploying changes

    SSAS Compare can create an XMLA deployment script to deploy changes to the target database.

    To do this:

    1. In the comparison results, select the check box next to each object you wish to deploy, or select the top level check box to include all objects in the deployment.
    2. Click Create Deploy Script.

    The XMLA Script dialog box is displayed containing the XMLA script:

    Creating a Deploy Script in SSAS Compare

    Click Run Now to run the script and deploy your changes.