Power BI Report Server - Do I need a Pro License?

[lloetters]

Hi,

is it true that even when you have a Power BI Report Server inplace, licened by SQL Server Enterprise Core, you still need a Pro licence for every user that wants to create content on the Report Server?

I installed a evaluation copy and there is no need that a user authenticate against Power BI to create Power BI Report for the server, but I rember that in the first annoucment the licences modell was communicated differently.

"Either way you license Power BI Report Server, “publisher” users who publish Power BI reports to the report server for others to access need Power BI Pro licenses, whereas “reader” users who merely view reports don’t need any per-user licenses."

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/sqlrsteamblog/2017/05/17/a-closer-look-at-power-bi-report-server/

Thank You

[MelvinMedina]

Hello, i have the same question. Any feeback?

[Eleftheria_K]

I is not clear to me what happens with the report server licence and the pro licence. In my Organisation we have a PBI RS Licence with our MS SQL Server Enterprise. Does it comes with a pro licence? I dont have anyone in my organisation to ask so I am trying to figure out what do we have. I can upload reports to the report server even though I dont have a pro licence. If we buy pro licences can I use the service too? The report viewers will need licence too to see my published reports? In server can I create dashboards like in service?

[Shahfaisal]

I'd like to clarify that you'll need SQL Server Enterprise with active Software Assurance to run Power BI Report Server. You'll need a Power BI Pro license for every user that wants to publish reports to Report Server. For example, if there are 5 Power BI content developers, you can either buy one Pro license for each, or have one Pro license  user who publishes the reports for all.

I recommend getting this clarified/confimed with a Microsoft license specialist. 

[hernan_russy]

Hi. I am in the exact situation with our PBI Report Server deployment. We performed testing and any user can upload reports to PBI Report Server with or without a Pro license. That said, is it required to have the Pro license or not? If it is required, what is the way to control that only users with Pro license can upload reports? If there is no means to control it, then the licensing requirement does not apply. I am still waiting for a reply from our local MS licensing specialist but it is taking too long.

Please your urgent support.

Thanks!!