Using Linked Objects in a Cube
To create a linked dimension in Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services (SSAS), right-click the Dimensions folder in an Analysis Services database or project, and then click New Linked Dimension. The Linked Object Wizard guides you through the steps described in this section.
Related measure groups and dimensions must come from the same source database. After linked dimensions and measure groups have been added to a local cube, the relationships between them must be maintained in their source database.
For More Information:Defining and Configuring Dimension Usage and Dimension Relationships, Dimension Relationships
Selecting the Data Source
On the Select a Data Source page of the Linked Object Wizard, choose the Analysis Services data source or create a new one.
If you choose to create a new data source, click New Data Source, click New, and then choose the settings in the following table for the connection.
| Option | Setting |
|---|---|
Provider |
Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Microsoft Analysis Services 9.0. |
Server or File Name |
The instance of Analysis Services (use servername\instancename for a named instance)1 or specify the name for the local cube. |
Information to log on to the server |
Windows Authentication (formerly, Microsoft Windows NT Integrated security) — unless accessing the server with a particular authorized SQL Server login and password. |
Initial catalog |
The name of the database to which you want to link. |
1 Only OLAP data sources are listed. If the data source you want to use is not shown, check whether its provider is selected under Provider.
Selecting Objects to Link or Import
On the Select Objects page of the wizard, choose the dimensions you want to link to in the remote database. You cannot link to linked dimensions in the remote database.
Completing the Linked Object Wizard
On the Completing the Wizard page, you can preview the linked objects. If you link a dimension that has the same name as one that already exists, an ordinal number (starting with '1' for the first duplicated name) is appended to the name. When you complete the wizard, the dimension is added to the Dimensions folder.
You cannot change the structure of a linked dimension, so you cannot view it with the Dimension Structure tab of Dimension Designer. After processing the linked dimension, you can view it with the Browser tab. You can also change its name and create a translation for the name.
See Also
Tasks
How to: Define a Linked Object (Dimensions)
How to: Define a Linked Object (Measure Group)
Concepts
Linked Dimensions
Linked Measure Groups