Gateway service account use? affects? required?

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

I am in the process of configuring Data gateways, and since there is not much documentation explaining about the "Gateway Service Account" in the Gateway app e.g. what it is ? what it is used for? what it affects? and do i really need to change the default and get a service account created by IT?

I would appreciate if someone could please help me understand this as this might be important.

[ibarrau · Accepted solution]

Hi. It's not a rule that the account must be a service one from IT. It's a recommendation. The account used to login the gateway during the installation will own it. That means that when that account logs in, it can configure the sources for refreshes. That account should have access to the workspaces with the datasets you want to schedue refresh.

The recomendation is to have an account that is not directly connected with a person because if that person leaves the company you might miss the configuration. Having a service account helps to keep all configuration inside the company. 

It depends on what are you building or how big the company is to configure it. If this is the first approach with PowerBi in company you can test gateway with your own work account for some time owning and configuring the gateway. Later if you want to evolve with service account, the gateway can add Administrators to help as owners with the first account that installed the program.

Here you have a tutorial to configure for the first time: https://blog.ladataweb.com.ar/post/189013278236/powerbigateway-configurar-una-actualización

I hope all that helps,