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Import a Data Mining Project using the Analysis Services Import Wizard

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Applies to: SQL Server 2019 and earlier Analysis Services Azure Analysis Services Fabric/Power BI Premium

Important

Data mining was deprecated in SQL Server 2017 Analysis Services and now discontinued in SQL Server 2022 Analysis Services. Documentation is not updated for deprecated and discontinued features. To learn more, see Analysis Services backward compatibility.

This topic describes how to create a new data mining project by importing the metadata from an existing data mining project on another server, using the template, Import from Server (Multidimensional and Data Mining) Project, in SQL Server Data Tools.

Import data sources, mining structures, and mining models from an existing data mining project

When you use the template, Import from Server (Multidimensional and Data Mining) Project, SQL Server Data Tools creates a new data mining project, and then copies the metadata from the specified data mining project. The new project contains the same data sources, data source views, mining structures, and mining models as the ssASnoversion database that you imported from. However, the project cannot be used until you have updated certain properties and processed the objects as described:

  • The data itself is not copied from the source server to the new data mining project-only the definitions of the data sources and data source views are imported. Therefore, after the import process has completed, and the objects have been created, you must populate the objects with data by training the mining structures and dependent models. You can use the command Process All in Data Mining Designer to train the models and structures.

  • If you are importing a project that was created in a previous version of SQL Server Analysis Services, the data source might use providers that are not installed on the server to which you are importing the project. If you encounter errors when processing the imported mining structures, right-click each data source and select Open Designer to edit the connection string and review the provider properties.

    At this time, you might also need to verify that the account you are using to process the data mining objects or query data mining models has the necessary permissions on the data source.

  • By default, when you import a project, the workspace database is set to localhost, or whatever default instance is configured as the Default Target Server in SQL Server Data Tools. To set this property, from the Options menu, select Business Intelligence Designers, select Analysis Services, and then select General.

    Note that, in SQL Server 2017, there is another, separate option that you can set to configure the default deployment server for SQL Server Analysis Services tabular model projects. The setting, Default Deployment Server, determines the default workspace database for tabular model projects. You cannot use instances that support tabular models for data mining projects

    If you cannot change the default deployment database to use an instance of SQL Server Analysis Services running in multidimensional or data mining mode, you can always specify the deployment database by using the Project Properties dialog box.

To create a new data mining project by importing an existing data mining project

  1. In SQL Server Data Tools, on the File menu, click New, and then click Project.

  2. In the New Project dialog box, under Installed Templates, click Business Intelligence, click Analysis Services, and then click Import from Server (Multidimensional/Data Mining).

  3. For Name, type a name for the project, then specify a location and solution name, and then click OK.

    The Import Analysis Services Database wizard starts. Click OK on the Welcome page to proceed.

  4. On the page, Select Source Database, for Server, specify the SQL Server Analysis Services instance that contains the solution you want to import.

    For Database, choose the SQL Server Analysis Services database that contains the data mining objects you want to import.

    Warning

    You cannot specify the objects you want to import; when you choose an existing SQL Server Analysis Services database, all multidimensional and data mining objects are imported.

    Click Next.

  5. The page, Completing the Wizard, displays the progress of the import operation. You cannot cancel the operation or change the objects that are being imported. Click Finish when done.

    The new project is automatically opened using SQL Server Data Tools.

See Also

Project Properties