msmdarch from DOS creates tiny .cab file

  • When I archive from the AS interface, I get a huge cab file with lots of contents. When I do the same archive from DOS, I get a tiny cab file with only 2 small files inside: olapdb.ref and olapdb.inf.  I am using the following syntax:

    cd c:\program files\microsoft analysis services\bin

    then

    msmdarch /A "SQLBox" "F:\AS\ADW" "ADW" "G:\AS\BACKUP\ADW.CAB"

    In the G:\AS\BACKUP directory the ADW.CAB will appear, but it is only 20K in size and only contains the two files mentioned above.

    I have double checked all the directory locations, SQL Box Name and the Database Name.

    Any ideas what is wrong here?

    Mindy

  • Have you tried putting a log file (2nd last param) to see if any exceptions/errors are being thrown? Using your sample cmdline, just add another parm like

    msmdarch /a SQLBox "F:\AS\ADW" "ADW" "G:\AS\BACKUP\ADW.CAB" "G:\AS\BACKUP\ADW.log"

    cheers,

    Steve.

  • Does anyone know the answer to this?  I am having the same problem.  When I archive using the cmd line only the repository is backed up without the data.  If i restore the cab then I have to rebuild the cubes.  What's the point of these backups if I have to spend hours rebuilding the cubes after I restore the backup?

    Thanks

     

    Jamin

  • Have you added the log file parameter and reviewed it's contents?

    Steve.

  • Yes, I did.  It reports success.  I then manually ran the archive from the Analysis manager interface and it worked backing up both the repository and the files.  It seems then that running from the interface tripped something, because now the archives from the command line work as well.  Must be a quirk in the msmdarch.exe utility.

  • Sounds v.weird.  The msmdarch was never a great piece of software though it's always worked for us.  If you're not planning on moving to AS2K5 anytime soon, you may be interested in a project I came across where they had written their own 'msmdarch' type application, specifically to get around the 2Gb limit on cab files.   You can find details of it here.

    Cheers,

     

    Steve.

  • I had the same issue.. the answer is to NOT put the full OLAP data directory..this is wrong and produces a small 37 K ish .cab file

    MSMDARH /a Servername" /a NLDN1572BAP "C:\AnalysisServices\Data\FoodMart 2000" "FoodMart 2000" " C:\Backup\Cube\Food.cab" "C:\AnalysisServices\Log\Cube.log" "C:\Temp"

    This is correct

    MSMDARH /a Servername" /a NLDN1572BAP "C:\AnalysisServices\Data" "FoodMart 2000" " C:\Backup\Cube\Food.cab" "C:\AnalysisServices\Log\Cube.log" "C:\Temp"

    As a result MSMDARCH requires you to specify the

    "OLAPDataPath" as the root data directory and MSMDARCH works out the data location from the catalog name of the cube.

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