Backing up and restoring SSAS databases
We are often asked about backing up SSAS databases as part of normal operations. Before we get into the how, we should understand when and why. Typically, both multidimensional and tabular model types are for analysis only. The underlying data is the source and that source retains all the data to refresh our models. If your models are small, you can reload them entirely from the source, which is usually a data warehouse or an operational data store.
Databases and models
A point of clarification here: the term model is interchangeable with database in this section. While models refer to the design method, database is a more generic term that covers both multidimensional and tabular models. Effectively, both models are stored as databases. When working with administrative tasks, such as backing up and restoring, the syntax uses database terminology, which is like relational database terms and functions making administration simpler.
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