XMLA code against SSAS can also be executed within a SQL Server Agent job. I use this approach for backing up SSAS cube databases to .abf backup files. For synchronization,...

Calculations can be incorporated into Excel pivot tables using a free add-in for Excel, OLAP Pivot Table Extensions. It's available from codeplex.

I also confirm performance problems with both Cognos 8...

It seems to me the ADO.NET datasource is also a valid answer. A ForEach Loop Container can also reference an object variable as a datasource via ADO.NET. See the following...