title: SSDT Register Data Tier Application
body: <p>I am having problems publishing a SSDT database project and registering it as a data tier application. Let me explain.</p>
  
  <p>I have a database (A) which references two other databases (B &amp; C) through linked servers. I have created projects based on B and C and snapshoted the projects to create dacpac's for databases B and C. I have created a database project for database A which has database references to B and C through dacpac's. I have set SQLCMD variables and modified the db project ddl scripts to use the SQLCMD variables in place of the un-resolved linked server names. The project builds!</p>
  
  <p>I am trying to publish the project as a data tier application but keep receiving the following error "Databases registered as a DAC database must be hosted by an instance of SQL 2005 SP4, SQL 2008 SP2, SQL 2008 R2, SQL 2012 or SQL Azure". Incidentally I am running SQL server 2012.</p>
  
  <p>I thought I would test whether I could register as a data tier application through SSMS. Within SSMS the option to "Register as data Tier Application" is grayed out. I therefore tried to "Export Data Tier Application" and received a number of error in reference to the linked server objects.</p>
  
  <p>My question is; is  it possible to deploy a SSDT database project and register it as a Data Tier Application where the project is using linked servers, or am I doing something wrong? If it is possible could some one provide some advice. </p>
  
  <p>I have broken Google looking for the answer, so any help would be greatly appreciated...</p>