How to Restore Cube Processing to Parallel Processing

Products

Information Centric Analytics Data Loss Prevention Core Package

Issue/Introduction

Microsoft released a SQL security update (CU7 GDR) that affected customers' ability to process the cube using parallel processing (more efficient processing model). As a workaround, sequential processing was implemented, requiring a two step method to be able to fully process the cube reliably. Microsoft has since released a SQL security update (CU14) to resolve this issue. This article details the necessary steps to revert cube processing back to a one step, parallel processing task.

Environment

SQL Server CU7 up to CU13

Resolution

The following steps are required to revert processing back to parallel processing from sequential processing. This should be done after all SQL servers in the ICA environment have been patched to CU14.

NOTE: Once CU14 has been applied, the msmdsrv.ini file needs to be examined. Open the file and verify the CoordinatorSafeJobUnblocking flag is set to 0.

Assumption: It is assumed that the steps in the related article below have been applied to the RiskFabric Processing job.

Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
Connect to the SQL Server hosting the Risk Fabric Processing job. Also connect to the server hosting SQL Analysis Services.
Backup the existing RiskFabric Processing job. Expand SQL Server Agent, then Jobs. Right Click on RiskFabric Processing job, mouse over Script Job as, Create To File. Enter a location and name the file.

Expand the Analysis Server database connection, then databases, RiskFabric, Cubes.
Right click on the Risk Fabric cube and select Process.
In the resulting window, right click on the Risk Fabric cube and select Add Related Dimensions. Your screen should look like this:

Notice that all the dimension added are automatically highlighted, right click on any highlighted dimension and select Process Full. Now your screen should look like this:

Click on the word Script, then click on the Cancel button. The resulting screen should look like this:

Inside this window, press Ctrl+A to select all, and Ctrl+C to copy the contents to the clipboard.
Return to the previously expanded SQL Server Agent, Jobs folder and double click on the RiskFabric Processing job to edit it. Then click on steps.
Between the step named CustomComplianceData and Process Risk Models steps, you should see two steps (the names may vary based on implementation), both steps will be of the type SQL Server Analysis Services Command. Highlight the first step, which will refer to dimension processing:

Delete this step.
Edit the Risk Fabric cube processing step
Press the Select All button, then Delete (on the keyboard).
Paste the contents of the clipboard in the Command window. The resulting window should look similar to this:

Press Ok to close the Job Step Properties and Ok a second time to close the Job Properties dialog box.
Run the RiskFabric Processing job and ensure the updated step completes successfully.
The job has been restored to parallel processing.