Strategy for deploying Report Server

[delrio]

Hello everyone.

I'm just getting started with Power BI. My goal is to deploy a Report Server only for internal enterprise use. I've already tried to install it, and create some report, and for now it works.

I have many doubts about the strategy for collecting the data needed. Perhaps a member could tell me where to look for more information.

The data I'm going to use comes from different SQL servers and Access databases, with different users and permissions. In some cases, with hundreds of thousands of records. I don't want to import all of them, just the last n days.

In this case, my question is what way to use:

A) import the data from the sources to the Report Server and transform or filter there.
B) filter the data using views or similar at the source, and import only that data
C) make a direct query to the data (filtered at source)
D) as the Report Server has its own SQL Server instance, use linked servers or replicate the data to my own database in the Report Server, and use it as a source for reports.

I don't know which of the options will perform better or allow me more options to transform the data. Any suggestions on this?

Many thanks in advance

[blynchdata · Accepted solution]

If you have SQL Server and are going to deploy the Power BI reports to it, we find that the SSAS Tabular Model works well. The process is generally: ETL that data with a tool like SSIS into database tables, create views of that data and feed that data into the SSAS Tabular Model. 

Open Power BI for Report Server, connect to the tabular model, create your report, save it to the Report Server. We find this performance so far acceptable. 

[delrio]

Thanks.

I'll try and let you know if it's solved.

Regards,

J.