Using PowerShell to Manipulate SQL Server Analysis Services Traces

I recently started using SSAS Server Traces a lot with SQL Server Analysis Services.  This type of trace is basically the same trace you can create with SQL Server Profiler, but it runs without Profiler, uses less resources, and can be persisted across reboots.  They’re a really handy tool.

I started using these when I built some AS monitoring tools based on the “Solution for Collecting Analysis Services Performance Data for Performance Analysis”  sample on CodePlex.  Seriously, totally revolutionized my life (at least the part related to administering complex AS installations and projects).  After installing, adapting, and enhancing the functionality there I found I wanted more and easier ways to control AS traces, so I built some PowerShell functions to help manage them.  These functions basically just wrap XMLA commands to make them easier to use.

Here are some sample files I’ll be talking about in this post:  Download Sample Files