Need to block publishing from Power BI Desktop to the Power BI service

[tljthree]

We are implementing Power BI Desktop as an interim solution in our company, but we do not yet have approval to publish from Power BI Desktop to the Power BI service.  Out of abundance of caution, I'd like to have the URL/IP address (that Power BI Desktop publishes to when you select the "Publish" button on the ribbon) blocked within our enterprise network.

To do that, I need to know what the URL(s) and/or IP addresses that Power BI Desktop publishes to.

Will someone from Microsoft please send me that information?  Thanks.

[v-micsh-msft]

Hi tljthree,

So here you are trying to restrict the usage of Power BI Service, or just want to block the publish action under Power BI desktop?

When Power BI connected under Browser, Power BI service would need to communicate with the back End to show data under Browser, so if we block the Back End URL, Power BI Service might be not available. In addition, Power BI service owns different server site all around the world. To which one the desktop connected, is up to where the people first logged in Power BI Service(logged in with the nearest server based on the User IP address).

If you would insist to restrict the Service usage, then use the following way to find your Power BI back End URL:

1. Prepare a report under Power BI desktop, and then click on the Publish icon;
2. Finish the publish action;
3. Open the following location: C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Power BI, find the most recent file, and open it using notepad;
4. You should be able to find the Back End server URL behind the string “backendUrl”.

Besides, if block the Publish function is the key point, then we may take use of process monitor, monitor the Publish action and restrict the Power BI desktop to access some related registry key. Well doing this might affect the Power BI desktop normal usage, and the Power BI desktop update install.

There is Admin Portal available through Power BI Service, to allow O365 Admin to control what users could do with Power BI service, check and see if that would be helpful:

Power BI admin portal

Administering Power BI in your organization

If any further assistance needed, please feel free to post back.

Regards