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Connecting from SSRS 2016 to SSAS using HTTP/MSMDPump and Basic Authentication – "Object reference not set to an instance of an object"

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After upgrading to SSRS 2016 SP1 CU8, or SSRS 2016 SP2, you might see the following error when running reports or connecting to a SSAS data source using HTTP/MSMDPump with Basic Authentication, “Object reference not set to an instance of an object.”

 

 

If you look in the Report Server Error logs, you’ll see the following exception:

ERROR: Throwing Microsoft.ReportingServices.ReportProcessing.ReportProcessingException: , Microsoft.ReportingServices.ReportProcessing.ReportProcessingException: Cannot create a connection to data source ‘TestRS1’. —> System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.HttpStream.ImpersonateLogonIdentityAndExecute(Action action)
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.HttpStream.GetRequestStream()
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.HttpStream.Write(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size)
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.CompressedStream.Write(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size)
at System.IO.StreamWriter.Flush(Boolean flushStream, Boolean flushEncoder)
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.XmlaClient.EndRequest(Boolean useBinaryXml)
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.XmlaClient.SendMessage(Boolean endReceivalIfException, Boolean readSession, Boolean readNamespaceCompatibility)
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.XmlaClient.SupportsProperty(String propName)
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.XmlaClient.Connect(ConnectionInfo connectionInfo, Boolean beginSession)
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.AdomdConnection.XmlaClientProvider.Connect(Boolean toIXMLA)
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.AdomdConnection.ConnectToXMLA(Boolean createSession, Boolean isHTTP)
at Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient.AdomdConnection.Open()
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.DataExtensions.AdomdExceptionHandler.Execute(String connectionString, Action action)
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.DataExtensions.AdoMdConnectionBase.Open()
at Microsoft.ReportingServices.Diagnostics.DataExtensionConnectionBase.<>c__DisplayClass5.b__4()
— End of inner exception stack trace —;

This is due to a defect in the ADOMD client that Reporting Services is referencing. Unfortunately, there’s currently only a workaround at the moment for Reporting Services 2016.

 

 

Resolution:

  1. Download and install the latest ADOMD client library from here: /en-us/azure/analysis-services/analysis-services-data-providers
  2. Go to the following folder to find your web.config file for Reporting Services, and make a backup copy before proceeding: “C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSRS13.MSSQLSERVER\Reporting Services\ReportServer\web.config”
  3. Modify the bindingRedirect for Microsoft.AnalysisServices.AdomdClient to reflect the newest version, which is 15.0.0.0. Like so

 

 

Once that is done, go ahead and restart Reporting Services Service, and you should now see a successful connection like you had before.

If you’re seeing the same issues while using SQL Server Management Studio, Report Builder, or SSRS2017/PBIRS, the fix for this issue is likely to be released in July 2018.

 

NOTE:   Any product release timeline mentioned in the blog is subjected to the discretion of the product team and this may get extended.

 

 

Author:     Van To – Support Escalation Engineer, SQL Server BI Developer team, Microsoft

Reviewer:  Krishnakumar Rukmangathan – Support Escalation Engineer, SQL Server BI Developer team, Microsoft