Today, while doing a BAM POC to one of my clients, I found a number of problems/errors, some of them unexpected and uncommon, while trying to deploy my BAM definition file.
In order to contextualize the problem, for this POC, we are using only one BizTalk Server machine with BAM Portal, one dedicated SQL Server, and Analysis Server and Integration Server in another dedicated server. So, more or less a simple Multi-Computer Environment.
In this post, I will address the most unusual of them:
Deploying Activity… Done.
Deploying View… ERROR: The BAM deployment failed.
Could not load file or assembly ‘Microsoft.SqlServer.ASTasks, Version=11.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=89845dcd8080cc91’ or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.
📝 One-Minute Brief
This post explains how to resolve a BAM deployment error in BizTalk Server caused by a missing Microsoft.SqlServer.ASTasks assembly. It identifies the root cause—missing SQL Server client components on the BizTalk Server machine—and shows how installing the correct SQL Server Management Tools resolves the issue.
Cause
Well, the cause is quite obvious from its description. Microsoft.SqlServer.ASTasks assembly is missing or some of its dependencies, although the environment has been installed, configured, and functioning correctly, i.e., everything was working properly with the exception of BAM deployment.
My first suspicion (which ultimately turned out to be right), and because, as I told before, SQL Server is remote, was that not all the SQL Server Client Tools components were installed on the BizTalk Server machine.
This suspicion was confirmed when I opened the SQL Server 2014 Management Studio console. Because the machine only had the Management Tools – Basic feature installed.
The “differences” between basic and complete are:
- Management Tools – Basic: includes support for the Database Engine and SQL Server Express, SQL Server command-line utility (SQLCMD), and SQL Server PowerShell provider.
- Management Tools – Complete: as the name implies, you get it all. It adds support for Reporting Services, Analysis Services, and Integration Services technologies.
Because support for Analysis Services is required in BizTalk Server machines while deploying the view definition, this error occurs.
Solution
To solve this problem, you must also install, on the BizTalk Server machine, the “Management Tools – Complete” shared feature. To do that, you need:
- Click on the Compatibility View button that appears in the Address bar to display the site in Compatibility View.
- Run the SQL Server 2014 setup program.
- On the SQL Server Installation Center, click Installation.
- Click New Installation or Add Features to an Existing Installation.
- Review the information on the Setup Support Rules screen, and then click OK.
- On the Product Key screen, enter your product key and click Next.
- On the License Terms screen, select I accept the license terms and then click Next.
- On the Setup Support Files screen, click Install.
- On the Feature Selection screen, select the following features, and then click Next.
- Shared Features
- Management Tools – Basic.
- Management Tools – Complete.
- Shared Features
Once Management Tools – Complete is installed, you will be able to deploy your BAM definition file.
Hope you find this helpful! If you liked the content or found it useful and would like to support me in writing more, consider buying (or helping to buy) a Star Wars Lego set for my son.
With BizTalk 2016 and SQL Server 2016, it appears the BizTalk server must now have SQL Server Management Studio and the Client shared features from the “SQL Server Installation Center” installed. Oh, and SQL XML 4.0. Is that correct?