Updated: September 15, 2021 (September 14, 2020)

Comparing SQL Server Analysis Services Offerings

Andrew analyzes and writes about Microsoft's data management, business intelligence, and machine learning solutions, as well as aspects of licensing... more

Analysis Services is the longstanding SQL Server analytic processing component.
It is available as on-premises software and in several Azure-hosted offerings.
Selecting a destination involves feature trade-offs, compatibility with overall architecture, and cost considerations.

SQL Server Analysis Services is an analytic processing component used to build complex data models used in data mining and other data analytic applications. It is available as server software on-premises and in Azure VMs, and as a managed service in Azure Analysis Services and Power BI Premium. The managed services are mostly compatible with the server software but are updated more frequently and receive unique capabilities.

Customers considering migrating existing SQL Server Analysis Services workloads or deploying new workloads to Azure will need to evaluate feature availability, sizing limitations, security, and fit within their overall BI architecture and plans. (See the chart “SQL Server Analysis Services Offerings Matrix”.)

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