Azure Analysis Services

Connecting to Azure Analysis Services

To connect, set the Url property to a valid Azure Analysis Services server, for instance, asazure://southcentralus.asazure.windows.net/server, in addition to authenticating.

Optionally, set Database to distinguish which Azure database on the server to connect to.

Authenticating to Azure Analysis Services

Azure AD

Azure AD is a connection type that leverages OAuth to authenticate. OAuth requires the authenticating user to interact with Azure Analysis Services using an internet browser. The provider facilitates this in several ways as described below. Set your AuthScheme to AzureAD. All AzureAD flows assume that you have done so.

Azure Service Principal

Azure Service Principal is a connection type that goes through OAuth. Set your AuthScheme to AzureServicePrincipal. The authentication as an Azure Service Principal is handled via the OAuth Client Credentials flow, and it does not involve direct user authentication. Instead, credentials are created for just the app itself. All tasks taken by the app are done without a default user context, but based on the assigned roles. The application access to the resources is controlled through the assigned roles' permissions.

Note: You must create a custom application prior to assigning a role. See Creating a Custom AzureAD App below for more information.

When authenticating using an Azure Service Principal, you must register an application with an Azure AD tenant. Follow the steps below to create a new service principal that can be used with the role-based access control.

Assign a role to the application

To access resources in your subscription, you must assign a role to the application.

1. Open the Subscriptions page by searching and selecting the Subscriptions service from the search bar.

2. Select the particular subscription to assign the application to.

3. Open the Access control (IAM) and select Add > Add role assignment to open the Add role assignment page.

4. Select Owner as the role to assign to your created Azure AD app.

Complete the Authentication

You are ready to connect after setting one of the below connection properties groups, depending on the configured app authentication (client secret or certificate).

In both methods

Before choosing client secret or certicate authentication, follow these steps then continue to the relevant section below:

1. AuthScheme: Set this to the AzureServicePrincipal in your app settings.

2. InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.

3. AzureTenant: Set this to the tenant you wish to connect to.

4. OAuthClientId: Set this to the client Id in your app settings.

Authenticating using a Client Secret

Continue with the following:

1. OAuthClientId: Set this to the client Id in your app settings.

2. OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the client secret in your app settings.

Authenticating using a Certificate

Continue with the following:

1. OAuthJWTCert: Set this to the JWT Certificate store.

2. OAuthJWTCertType: Set this to the type of the certificate store specified by OAuthJWTCert.

Azure Password

To connect using your Azure credentials directly, specify the following connection properties:

• AuthScheme: Set this to AzurePassword.

• User: Set this to your user account you use to connect to Azure.

• Password: Set this to the password you use to connect to Azure.

• AzureTenant: Set this to the Directory (tenant) ID, found on the Overview page of the OAuth app used to authenticate to Azure Analysis Services on Azure.

MSI

If you are running Azure Analysis Services on an Azure VM, you can leverage Managed Service Identity (MSI) credentials to connect:

• AuthScheme: Set this to AzureMSI.

The MSI credentials are automatically obtained for authentication.

Create a Custom AzureAD App

Follow the steps below to obtain the AzureAD values for your application, the OAuthClientId and OAuthClientSecret.

1. Log in to https://portal.azure.com.
2. In the left-hand navigation pane, select Azure Active Directory, then applicationRegistrations, and click New registration.

3. Enter an application name and select the desired tenant setup. When creating a custom AzureAD application in Azure Active Directory, you can define whether the application is single- or multi-tenant. If you select the default option, "Accounts in this organizational directory only", you must set the AzureTenant connection property to the Id of the Azure AD Tenant when establishing a connection with the CData ADO.NET Provider for Azure Analysis Services. Otherwise, the authentication attempt fails with an error. If your application is for private use only, "Accounts in this organization directory only" should be sufficient. Otherwise, if you want to distribute your application, choose one of the multi-tenant options.

4. Set the redirect url to http://localhost:33333, the provider's default. Or, specify a different port and set CallbackURL to the exact reply URL you defined.

5. Click Register to register the new application. This opens an application management screen. Note the value in Application (client) ID as the OAuthClientId and the Directory (tenant) ID as the AzureTenant.

6. Navigate to the "Certificates & Secrets" and define the application authentication type. There are two types of authentication available: using a client secret or a certificate. The recommended authentication method is using a certificate.

   • Option 1: Upload a certificate: In "Certificates & Secrets", select Upload certificate and the certificate to upload from your local machine.

   • Option 2: Create a new application secret: In "Certificates & Secrets", select New Client Secret for the application and specify its duration. After saving the client secret, the key value is displayed. Copy this value as it is displayed only once. You will need it as the OAuthClientSecret.

7. Select API Permissions > Add.

8. Save your changes.

9. If you have selected to use permissions that require admin consent, you can grant them from the current tenant on the API Permissions page.

Custom AzureAD Service Principal Applications

When authenticating using an Azure Service Principal, you must create both a custom AzureAD application and a service principal that can access the necessary resources. Follow the steps below to create a custom AzureAD application and obtain the connection properties for Azure Service Principal authentication.

Create a Custom AzureAD App with an Azure Service Principal

Follow the steps below to obtain the AzureAD values for your application.

1. Log in to https://portal.azure.com.
2. In the left-hand navigation pane, select Azure Active Directory then App Registrations and click New registration.

3. Enter an app name and select Any Azure AD Directory - Multi Tenant. Then set the redirect url to http://localhost:33333, the provider's default.

4. After creating the application, copy the Application (client) Id value displayed in the "Overview" section. This value is used as the OAuthClientId

5. Define the app authentication type by going to the "Certificates & Secrets" section. There are two types of authentication available: using a client secret and using a certificate. The recommended authentication method is via a certificate.

   • Option 1 - Upload a certificate: In "Certificates & Secrets", select Upload certificate and the certificate to upload from your local machine.

   • Option 2 - Create a new application secret: In "Certificates & Secrets", select New Client Secret for the application and specify its duration. After saving the client secret, the key value is displayed. Copy this value as it is displayed only once. You will use it as the OAuthClientSecret.

6. On the Authentication tab, make sure to select Access tokens (used for implicit flows).