Books Online says,
"The server component of Analysis Services is the msmdsvr.exe
application, which ordinarily runs as a Windows service. This
application consists of an XML for Analysis (XMLA) listener component
and internal components..."

"The native protocol for Analysis Services is XML for Analysis (XML/A).
Analysis Services provides several data access interfaces for client
applications, but all of these components communicate with an instance
of Analysis Services using XML for Analysis."

"Both client and middle tier applications can communicate directly with
Analysis Services without using a provider. Client and middle tier
applications may send XML for Analysis in SOAP packets over TCP/IP,
HTTP, or HTTPS. The client may be coded using any language that
supports SOAP. Communication in this case is most easily managed by
Internet Information Services (IIS) using HTTP, although a direct
connection to the server using TCP/IP may also be coded. This is the
thinnest possible client solution for Analysis Services."

Does anyone know what exactly should go into the socket so that
communication works over TCP/IP?
Plain XML doesn't work.

you can access and execute XML/A commands using the ADOMD.NET API.
but this access is more designed for manging purpose then querying purpose.

for end user access, you have to use IIS and the msmdpump.dll component
if your user can access the server directly then use the native and direct
access which is more powerfull then the HTTP access.

<yurikagan (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote