Express 2008 with Advanced Services support for Analysis Data Mining

Question

How much support does SQLServer Express 2008 with Advanced Services provide for Anaysis Data Mining?

I have a machine that is part of a workgroup and running WinXP SP3. I have an adminstrator account for the machine.

I have installed SQLServer Express 2008 with Advanced Services. This installed the Visual Studio Shell and Business Intelligence Design Studio - The full component list is at the end of this post. This gave me the ability to create Anaysis Services, Integration Services and Reporting Services Projects. The administrator account has been added to the SQLServer sysadmin group.

I haven't installed SQLServer 2008 Express SP1 yet.

I am running a named instance: SQLEXPR.

I have also installed VB Express 2008.

I have successfully created a reporting services project, and the report runs fine.

Then I created an analysis services project. "The connection string is Data Source=.\SQLEXPR;Initial Catalog=Share_Performance;Integrated Security=True". I have created a simple datasource view and a simple cube. The datasource view happily previews the data in the table.

However the following doesn't work:

1) Connect to an analysis services database. I enter the instance id (sqlexpr) in the server name. When I hit the down arrow for a database list I get an error message (A connection cannot be made. Ensure that the server is running). If I try .\sqlexpr then I get "A connection cannot be made to the redirector. Ensure that 'SQL Browser' is running" - But of course it is. Replacing the '.' with the machine name or IP address give the same result.

2) Browsing the cube fails. The "Additional Information" is "No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it 127.0.0.1:2382

3) Debugging the project fails: "Error 5 The project could not be deployed to the 'TSTBLD\SQLEXPR' server because of the following connectivity problems :  A connection cannot be made to redirector. Ensure that 'SQL Browser' service is running.  To verify or update the name of the target server, right-click on the project in Solution Explorer, select Project Properties, click on the Deployment tab, and then enter the name of the server."

So my questions are:

a) how much support do we get from express?
b) is the presence of Analysis Services projects in BIDS just a tease?
c) or what have I missed?

thanks

bru

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VS 2008 / BIDS components

Microsoft Visual Studio 2008
Version 9.0.30729.1 SP
Microsoft .NET Framework
Version 3.5 SP1

Installed Edition: IDE Standard

Hotfix for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU (KB945282)   KB945282
This hotfix is for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU.
If you later install a more recent service pack, this hotfix will be uninstalled automatically.
For more information, visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/945282.

Hotfix for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU (KB946040)   KB946040
This hotfix is for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU.
If you later install a more recent service pack, this hotfix will be uninstalled automatically.
For more information, visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946040.

Hotfix for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU (KB946308)   KB946308
This hotfix is for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU.
If you later install a more recent service pack, this hotfix will be uninstalled automatically.
For more information, visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946308.

Hotfix for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU (KB946344)   KB946344
This hotfix is for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU.
If you later install a more recent service pack, this hotfix will be uninstalled automatically.
For more information, visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946344.

Hotfix for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU (KB946581)   KB946581
This hotfix is for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU.
If you later install a more recent service pack, this hotfix will be uninstalled automatically.
For more information, visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946581.

Hotfix for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU (KB947173)   KB947173
This hotfix is for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU.
If you later install a more recent service pack, this hotfix will be uninstalled automatically.
For more information, visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947173.

Hotfix for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU (KB947540)   KB947540
This hotfix is for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU.
If you later install a more recent service pack, this hotfix will be uninstalled automatically.
For more information, visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947540.

Hotfix for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU (KB947789)   KB947789
This hotfix is for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) - ENU.
If you later install a more recent service pack, this hotfix will be uninstalled automatically.
For more information, visit http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947789.

SQL Server Analysis Services  
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services Designer
Version 10.0.1600.22

SQL Server Integration Services  
Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services Designer
Version 10.0.1600.22 ((SQL_PreRelease).080709-1414 )

SQL Server Reporting Services  
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Designers
Version 10.0.1600.22

Answer 1

Analysis Serivices is not supported in SQL Express. The AS projects in BIDS are not functional against a SQL Express server but would work against an edition that supports AS. The way BIDS is build made it difficult to separate out the un-supported projects, only certain RS projects actually work.

Regards,
Mike

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Answer 2

Mike

Thanks for the prompt and frank reply.

Given that we are talking about free software, we can't really complain.

However, I guess there is some scope for a more informative message within BIDS.

And for me, it is off to the financial controller to discuss funding

Answer 3

When chuck norris says  install sqlserver express with "Advance Services", he means install database server with basic/no service....