Converting a Multidimensional SSAS Instance to a Tabular Instance

Did you ever have a situation where you felt like converting a Sql Server Analysis Services in Multidimensional Mode to Tabular Mode ?

I thought of trying this out after reading this article.  In this article from Microsoft, there is Caution note as below.

I thought let me try what happens if I changed the deploymentMode and see whether this changes my Multidimensional Mode to Tabular Mode.  Of course I tried this on my dev instance of SSAS 2016.

So first things first –

1. Backed up my one and only one worldwide SSAS database.
2. Detached the database
3. Checked the server mode in the SSAS properties as shown below.



4. Disconnected from my SSAS instance.


Below are the steps I followed to convert the multidimensional SSAS model to Tabular Model


5. Went to location -- C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS13.DEVELOPER\OLAP\Config
6. Made a copy of the MSMDSRV.INI file
7. Then opened notepad as Administrator as shown below





8. Then from notepad opened the MSMDSRV.INI file
9. Changed the deploymentmode from 0 to 2 as shown below 
   
10.  Restarted the Analysis Services as shown below.  
    


11. Then connected to the SSAS instance in Management Studio and checked the properties.
12. The Server Model is showing as Tabular as shown below

   

Now I am expecting to build a Tabular SSAS Model on this SSAS instance and check whether this works. 

I know I cannot reattach the worldwide multidimensional model database I saved earlier.

More in a next blog whether I have been successful or not.