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Analysis Services Configuration - Data Directories

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The default directories in the following table are user-configurable during SQL Server Setup. Permission to access these files is granted to local administrators and to members of the SQLServerMSASUser$<instance> security group that is created and provisioned during Setup.

UI element list

Description Default directory Recommendations
Data root directory C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS12.<InstanceID>\OLAP\Data|Ensure that the \Program files\Microsoft SQL Server\ folder is protected with limited permissions. Analysis Services performance depends, in many configurations, on the performance of the storage on which the data directory is located. Place this directory on the highest performing storage that is attached to the system. For failover cluster installations, ensure that data directories are placed on the shared disk.
Log file directory C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS12.<InstanceID>\OLAP\Log|This is the directory for Analysis Services log files, and it includes the FlightRecorder log. If you increase the flight recorder duration, ensure that the log directory has adequate space.
Temp directory C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS12.<InstanceID>\OLAP\Temp|Place the Temp directory on the high performance storage subsystem.
Backup directory C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS12.<InstanceID>\OLAP\Backup|This is the directory for Analysis Services default backup files. For PowerPivot for SharePoint installations, it also where the PowerPivot System Services caches PowerPivot data files.

Ensure appropriate permissions are set to prevent data loss, and that the user group for the Analysis Services service has adequate permissions to write to the backup directory. Using a mapped drive for backup directories is not supported.

Notes

  • Analysis Services instances that are deployed on a SharePoint farm store application files, data files, and properties in content databases and service application databases.

  • When you add features to an existing installation, you cannot change the location of a previously installed feature, nor can you specify the location for a new feature.

  • If you specify non-default installation directories, ensure that the installation folders are unique to this instance of SQL Server. None of the directories in this dialog box should be shared with directories from other instances of SQL Server. The Database Engine and Analysis Services components within an instance of SQL Server should also be installed to separate directories.

  • Program files and data files cannot be installed in the following situations:

    • On a removable disk drive

    • On a file system that uses compression

    • To a directory where system files are located

See Also

File Locations for Default and Named Instances of SQL Server