Automation of Analysis Services with NuGet packages

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We are pleased to announce that the Analysis Services Management Objects (AMO) and ADOMD client libraries are now available from NuGet.org! This simplifies the development and management of automation tasks for Azure Analysis Services and SQL Server Analysis Services.

NuGet provides benefits including the following.

  • Azure Functions require less manual intervention to work with Azure Analysis Services.
  • ISVs and developers of community tools for Analysis Services such as DAX Studio, Tabular Editor, BISM Normalizer and others will benefit from simplified deployment and reliable (non-GAC) references.

Visit this site for information on what NuGet is for and how to use it.

AMO

https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.AnalysisServices.retail.amd64/

AMO contains the object libraries to create and manage both Analysis Services multidimensional and tabular models. The object library for tabular is called the Tabular Object Model (TOM). See here for more information.

ADOMD

https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.retail.amd64/

ADOMD is used primarily for development of client tools that submit MDX or DAX queries to Analysis Services for user analysis. See here for more information.

MSI installer

We recommend that all developers who use these libraries migrate to NuGet references instead of using the MSI installer. The MSI installer for AMO and ADOMD are still available here. Starting from MAJOR version 15 to the foreseeable future, we plan to release the client libraries as both NuGet packages and the MSI installer. In the long term, we want to retire the MSI installer.

NuGet versioning

NuGet package assemblies AssemblyVersion will follow semantic versioning: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH. This ensures NuGet references load the expected version even if there is a different version in the GAC (resulting from MSI install). We will increment at least the PATCH for each public release. AMO and ADOMD versions will be kept in sync.

MSI versioning

The MSI version will continue to use a versioning scheme for AssemblyVersion like 15.0.0.0 (MAJOR version only). The MSI installs assemblies to the GAC and overrides previous MSI installations for the same MAJOR version. This versioning scheme ensures new releases do not affect NuGet references. It also ensures a single entry in Add/Remove Programs for each installation of a MAJOR version.

Windows Explorer file properties

The AssemblyFileVersion (visible in Windows Explorer as the File Version) will be the full version for both MSI and NuGet (e.g. 15.0.1.333).

The AssemblyInformationalVersion (visible in Windows Explorer as the Product Version) will be the semantic version for both MSI and NuGet (e.g. 15.0.1.0).

For anyone who has done significant development with Analysis Services, we hope you enjoy the NuGet experience for Analysis Services!