Gateway Data Source - where is data actually stored?

[krypto6969]

we are using the enterprise power bi gateway. 

I know that when we schedule or manully refresh data it goes up thru the gateway and validates the user. My understanding is that at no point does actaul data leave my building. 

So where does it store the data after a refesh?

[parry2k]

Are you using live connection or you selected "import" when you created your reports? If it is import, data resides in powerbi and to check where it is stored, 

goto app.powerbi.com

click ? on top right hand corner

select about powerbi and in the dialog box it will show where data will be stored.

Again, it all goes back to how you are connecting to your data source, (live connection or Import).

[krypto6969]

We don't have any cloud power bi that we purchased. So if I selected direct query then my data has left the building? I thought the M S gateway says that my data will not leave my building...

[parry2k]

if you haven't published your reports then ofcourse data never left your premise. Just to confirm, you are using powerbi desktop, connecting using direct query (seems like you are using ssas) and never published a report, if that is the case, i don't think it ever left your premise.

[krypto6969]

Noti used direct query via the power bill gateway.. No seas direct query to our on premise sqll dbs

[parry2k]

sorry @krypto6969 not sure what you mean?

if you are not publishing your reports to app.powerbi.com then everything is on prem

[krypto6969]

So if I change it to use live connection - data will not leave my building - correct?

[parry2k]

Live connection means it always polls the data source and data never get moved or imported in powerbi, in short, yes, it will not leave the building.

Again, i never understood, what data source you are connected with and how you are connected? If you are not publishing  your reports, you don't need gateway, not sure why you have gateway in place? Are you planning to publish your report to power bi cloud (app.powerbi.com)

[krypto6969]

we were hoping to pulish to powerbi only becasue we didn't want to give our end users the power bi desktop app. It would be too confusing for our users.

[parry2k]

now it make sense why you need gateway.

- Your data is on-prem 

- you developed report using on-prem database using Live Connection

- publish your reports

- share with your team

in above scenario, data will not leave your prem, gateway will work between cloud and on-prem to refresh the data.

[krypto6969]

yep - problem is sharing the report/dashboards with our users. I don't see any other way than giving them the power bi desktop - which is way too much for them to handle.

I'm looking at changing to use live connection - but I don't see a way to change it without recreating the report/dash.

[v-yuezhe-msft]

Hi @krypto6969,

Firstly, after you publish reports to Power BI Service, you can share reports to other users using the methods that described in this article: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-service-how-should-i-share-my-dashboard/ .

Secondly, we are not able to change import mode to Live connection mode in Power BI Desktop. You would need to connect to your data source using Live connection mode and recreate reports in Power BI Desktop.

Thanks,
Lydia Zhang