Sometimes when working with Analysis Services databases, I want to use the same database from a cab-file, but giving it a unique name and a different data source. It's no intuitive way to rename a database, but today I found this answer from Microsoft's Dave Wickert in an old newsgroup posting:
Dave Wickert [MSFT]
Jan 26, 3:51 am show options
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.sqlserver.olap
From: "Dave Wickert [MSFT]" - Find messages by this author
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 18:51:44 -0800
Local: Wed, Jan 26 2005 3:51 am
Subject: Re: Rename a OLAP Database in CAB file
I agree that it would be very useful. And your scenerio would require this feature.
But unfortunately it isn't there.
One why to do this, but granted it isn't very nice, would be to take the existing database; do a copy and then a paste. When the paste runs, it detects that a current database with the same name exists and allows you to create a database with a new name. Pick something else. Then do a full reprocess (ugh) on the new database. Now you can delete the old one; do the restore to the original name. And now you have two versions of the same database running on the system.
It isn't effecient -- and it requires that your application query the new "renamed" database name in the connect string -- but it works.
I tried it earlier today, just before leaving work. (No use in waiting for a full process.) Hopefully it works out well, so I can go on and use this database for somthing usefull.