Data Gateway necessary?

[Michael_Mertens]

Hi,

I'm wondering whether it is possible to load and refresh a Power BI Premium dataset through the XMLA endpoint without a data gateway.

This would mean that data would only be pushed to the dataset from a client. (Scheduled) refresh from the service (pull) would not be possible.

Does anybody think this is possible or even uses this method?

Thanks 

Michael

[selimovd]

Hey @Michael_Mertens ,

you can trigger a refresh for a Power BI Premium dataset with the XMLA endpoint.

If you need a gateway or not depends on the data sources the data set is using. If your data set has an on premises SQL Server as data source, a gateway is required, if the source is an Azure SQL Server you don't need a gateway. But this has nothing to do with the trigger of the refresh.

If I didn't understand you question right, just let me know.

If you need any help please let me know.

If I answered your question I would be happy if you could mark my post as a solution ✔️ and give it a thumbs up 👍

Best regards

Denis

Blog: WhatTheFact.bi

Follow me: twitter.com/DenSelimovic

[Michael_Mertens]

Hi Denis, 

thank you for the answer. This is also my understanding. However, with the latest explanations in the Power BI blog about XMLA functionalities (like OOL Bindings) , I was wondering whether XMLA can do more than I know.

If it were possible to tunnel the connection to the source database through XMLA, this would be an alternative to a gateway. But it is probably not possible...

Regards

Michael

[selimovd · Accepted solution]

Hey @Michael_Mertens ,

I didn't work with the OOL bindings, but as far as I understood you can just do changes of the process in a more granular way. So you can change parts of the M code or native query, you could process a single day or full process or change the data source to another, already existing data source.

But from my understanding all of that are just more granular adjustments to the way the data set is processed. What stays the same is that when your data set needs a gateway you have to set it up and configure it upfront. So from my understanding everything you mentioned stays the same, you have now just better options to tweak the process with XMLA endpoints.

If you need any help please let me know.

If I answered your question I would be happy if you could mark my post as a solution ✔️ and give it a thumbs up 👍

Best regards

Denis

Blog: WhatTheFact.bi

Follow me: twitter.com/DenSelimovic