Connect to SSAS outside of a domain!!

I was finally given to a test server to try out my new-fangled Data Cube expertise. Trouble is the company is quite paranoid about security and things going wrong, so it isn't part of the domain. This means I cannot connect to Analysis Services as AS will only allow Windows Authentication.

Never fear - where there's a will there's a way!

I created an application pool using IIS, and connect to that instead!

Here's how to do it!

Go to: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\OLAP\bin\isapi\ and copy the contents of this folder to: C:\Inetpub\wwwwroot\olap\. You'll need to create the 'olap' folder.

Right-click on 'My Computer' and click on 'Manage'. Click on 'Services and Applications' then 'Internet Information Services' (if you don't have IIS installed you can probably do this from 'Control Panel' - I'm not going to explain it here, just GOOGLE IT!!).

Right-click on 'Application Pools' then 'New' then 'Application Pool...' Set 'Application Pool ID' to 'olap' (can you see where this is going yet?). Ensure 'Use default settings for new application pool' is checked.

Now, open 'Web Sites' folder under 'Application Pools' folder, right-click on 'Default Web Site' and click 'new' then 'Virtual Directory'. Name it as 'OLAP' and point it to the folder you created earlier 'C:\Inetpub\wwwwroot\olap'. In 'Access Permissions' select 'Run scripts (such as ASP)' ONLY.

Right-click on your new 'OLAP' website and click on 'Properties'
Set 'Application pool:' to 'olap'

Click on 'Configuration', then 'Add...'

In the 'Executable' box browse to your virtual directory.

Type '.dll' into the 'Extension' box.

Click 'OK'


In OLAP Properties, click on the 'Directory Security' tab and under 'Authentication and access control' click on 'Edit'.
Enable annonymous access

Enable 'Integrated Windows Authentication' and 'Basic Authentication (password is sent in clear text)'

FINAL SECTION!

Back in 'Computer Management' open 'Services and Applications' then 'Internet Information Services' then right-click on 'Web Service Extension' and 'Add a new Web Service Extension'.

Set 'Extension Name' to 'olap' and add the 'msmdpump.dll' to 'Required files' by browsing to your virtual directory'. Check 'Set extension status to Allowed' and click 'OK'.

That oughta' do it! Now when you connect to SSAS via Management Studio type in 'http://servername/olap/msmdpump.dll' and BINGO! you're iin.
I may add pictures but I'm busy today, besides it's better to struggle and understand than follow blindly and not understand.

Embed Console Window in Winform Application

This has been bugging me for a while now.

I use TelNet to pass commands to a Unix box.  I wanted to embed the TelNet interface into a Winform application.

I concentrated on embedding a console app within the winform app. WRONG.

I used TelNet libraries and messed around looking to use RichTextBoxes. WRONG.
Well. Probably not that wrong, they mostly worked but weren't very good.

Here is what I have done:

Process TelNet = new Process();

TelNet.StartInfo.FileName = "TelNet.exe";

TelNet.Start();

If you need any more clarification please leave.

This prevents cross-thrreading issues, launching new applications and all sorts of problems.

It works for me.  I know it's simple.  It's all I require.