Cannot connect to Analysis services with PBI desktop, ok with excel

[matteoumbri]

Hi everyone, 

on my notebook, where I am logged as domain user myCompanyDomain\my.user I can connect with no problems to a remote  Analysis services multidimensional model, using Excel: I select Get Data > from Analysis services, enter the server name as bi.someserver.com:1564 then I enter the username ourlogin@bi.supplierdomain.com and the password abc123. After some seconds I get the list of the available cubes, select one, and build a pivot, all fine. 

I was told by our supplier, the owner of the analysis services database, which is located outside of our company domain, that in order to connect using Power BI I should start it with:

runas /netonly /user:ourlogin@bi.supplierdomain.com "Path\to\PBIDesktop.exe"

Then enter the password when prompted on cmd window. PBI opens, then Get Data from Analysis services, enter the server name (no credentials are asked). 

But when I try that I always get the error "we could not connect to analysis services server because the connection timed out or server name is incorrect".

Same error if I start Power BI Desktop normally, get data from Analysis services, enter server name, enter credentials (I use "basic" credentials, but I also tried the other options without success)

Can anyone help me understanding what's wrong with PBI? Why can't I connect to that server with Power BI Desktop, since on the same machine I can connect with Excel using the same credentials and server name? For info, I am on Windows 11, but same issue occurred with Windows 10, and PBI is latest version (updated about 1 week ago).

Many Thanks

[matteoumbri · Accepted solution]

Finally I was able to connect from PBI Desktop to remote Analysis services outside our domain, the trick is that when you use "runas /netonly", on the credential prompt in power query, you need to select "Windows credentials".

The issue that I have now is on the service, the Gateway returns error, but I am going to post another question on this

[v-eqin-msft]

Hi @matteoumbri ,

You may try this:

runas /netonly /user: Domain\username "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Power BI Desktop\bin\PBIDesktop.exe"

Refer to:

https://debug.to/544/open-powerbi-desktop-with-different-domain-account

https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Connecting-PowerBI-local-to-SSAS-Azure/m-p/149949

https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Connecting-to-SSAS-for-a-non-domain-user/m-p/92512

Best Regards,
Eyelyn Qin
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[matteoumbri]

Hi @v-eqin-msft 

thanks for your reply, that is what I already tried without success, getting the same error. 

Note the username format: 

ourlogin@bi.supplierdomain.com

that is accepted and works fine in Excel, my only guess is that PBI needs

Domain\user

format; that's why I also tried this:

bi.supplierdomain.com\ourlogin

and other variations, but still got error.