Does DirectLake connection require the report to be created in Power BI Service?

[djurecicK2]

Hi All,

 I'm looking for confirmation that this is correct and hopefully to find where it is documented.

Thanks,

DJ

[djurecicK2]

Thanks for your response- glad we are on the same page. It does seem like there is a way to disable failover into DirectQuery, but no details in that article.

You can disable fallback to DirectQuery mode if you prefer to process DAX queries in pure Direct Lake mode. 

I think the answer to the original question is that it is possible to create a DirectLake report in PBI desktop, but it is not easy to verify that the report is using DirectLake. Creating a report in PBI Service is easier to verify that the model is using DirectLake.

[djurecicK2]

Hi @R1k91 ,

 I agree with that.  You can live connect to any published PBI dataset/semantic model.

Would you agree that there is not a way from PBI desktop to determine if the model is operating in DirectLake mode except for running Performance Analyzer? From the service, you can look at the model view and see Direct Lake, but it seems like this is not possible from PBI desktop since it only shows as "Live Connection"

[R1k91 · Accepted solution]

I totally agree. even more you're not sure you're operating in direct lake even if the model is direct lake.

what I mean is, you can configure it as direct lake but it could fallback to direct query over sql endpoint in some circumstances: 

Learn about Direct Lake in Power BI and Microsoft Fabric - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

[djurecicK2]

Here's some more information from this article https://fabric.guru/power-bi-direct-lake-mode-frequently-asked-questions

• Can you connect to a Direct Lake dataset in Desktop in a Live mode ?

  Yes. Once you create the semantic model using the web editing in service, you can connect to the dataset in Live mode in the Desktop to create reports.

But the wording still is not clear- connect in "Live mode"? Does this mean that DirectLake is not it's own storage mode?

Or does this mean that there is a live connection to PBI desktop, but it becomes DirectLake once it is published?

[R1k91]

Live connection means the report has no semantic model "directly attached". 

you're decoupling the model and the report.

the semantic model resides somewherelse and it works according its own design.

this semantic model could be a standard import mode or a semantic model built on top of a warehouse or lakehouse supporting the Direct Lake (to build this kind of semantic model you must do it via web).

[djurecicK2]

Hi @tackytechtom ,

 Thanks for your response. That option is not totally clear since it says "Live Connection", not "DirectLake". I'm thinking that you are supposed to make a live connection to a PBI dataset/semantic model, and that model operates in DirectLake mode. But still trying to learn and appreciate your input!  

[tackytechtom]

Hi @djurecicK2 ,

I can see this one here in Power BI Desktop:

Will test it later and let you know 🙂

/Tom
https://www.tackytech.blog/
https://www.instagram.com/tackytechtom/