Use secondary endpoint for Azure Table Storage

[njc1]

I am trying to set up a connection to an Azure Table Storage account which is geo-replicated (with a read-only replica).  I want Power BI to talk to the read-only replica but I don't appear to have that option.  I tried entering "accountname-secondary" when setting up the connection but it wouldn't accept it.

Please could someone advise how to accomplish this?

Thanks.

[v-yuezhe-msft]

Hi @njc1,

I am afraid that you cannot make Power BI to talk to the read-only replica, there is no such read-only option in Power BI Desktop. When entering "accountname-secondary"  or URL “https:// accountname-secondary.table.core.windows.net” in “Account name or URL” textbox, we will get error message “Account name must be of length 3 to 24 letters and numbers”.

You can create an idea that connect to Azure Table Storage account which is geo-replicated in the Power BI ideas forum.

Thanks,
Lydia Zhang

[njc1]

Thanks Lydia, that's disappointing.  My understanding is that it's best practice to undertake reporting activities against a replica rather than the primary (live) account so I will raise a suggestion to this effect.  Can you confirm that PowerBI does not make any changes to either the source data or its schema - part of my reason for wanting to use the read-only replica was to mitigate this particular concern.

[v-yuezhe-msft]

Hi @njc1,

After you import data from your source to Power BI Desktop, any changes you make in Power BI Desktop will not reflect in your source.

Thanks,
Lydia Zhang