FIX: Analysis Server shuts down when updating virtual dimension after structure changes (299005)

SYMPTOMS

If a virtual dimension is used in two or more Analysis Services cubes and a level name is changed in the virtual dimension, when the virtual dimension is saved, processing of the dimension may fail and the Analysis Server service shuts down.

Processing fails with the following messages:

Analysis Server Error : Connection to the server is lost
Error (-2147221411): Process operation failed
Error (-2147221423): Could not open server object

The Windows Application Event log will also contain an error for the MSSQLServerOLAPService service with an event id of 117. The status of the MSSQLServerOLAPService service will display as starting but will never start.

CAUSE

When a change is made to a virtual dimension and the dimension is saved, Analysis Manager attempts to perform an incremental update of the dimension to incorporate any changes. An incremental update will succeed unless a structural change has been made to the dimension. A name change for a level in the virtual dimension constitutes a structural change in the dimension, but is not correctly flagged as a structural change. Because the structure has changed, incremental update processing fails and the virtual dimension file becomes unusable. The Analysis Server encounters a critical error, requiring the server to restart. Upon the attempted restart, the server is unable to load the virtual dimension file and fails to start.

RESOLUTION

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

290211 How to obtain the latest SQL Server 2000 service pack

WORKAROUND

This problem does not occur if the virtual dimension is a member of only one cube. Therefore, it is possible to remove the dimension from all but one cube in the Analysis Services database, make the structural changes, and then add the modified virtual dimension back into the other cubes where desired.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services Service Pack 2.

MORE INFORMATION

The updated Microsoft Decision Support Objects (DSO) Library provided in this fix recognizes the level name change as a structural change to the dimension. After the fix is applied, the saving of the virtual dimension will only save the updated structure information in the Analysis Services repository; it will not attempt an incremental update of the dimension and the cubes in which it is used. The dimension and all cubes using the dimension must be processed to reflect the changes to the virtual dimension.