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woutervolkeri
New Member

Which SQL 2016 license is requirement for using the Enterprise Gateway?

Dear all,

 

In order to use the Enterprise Gateway either the SQL Server BI - or Enterprise edition is required. However, MS SQL 2016 does not offer a BI edition anymore and a limited version of Tabular Model (max. 16GB) is offered in the Standard edition.

 

From my point of view this license change could mean 2 things:

- The Enterprise Gateway only works with the Enterprise edition as the BI edition no longer exists or......

- The Enterprise Gateway also works with the Standard edition as the Tabular Model has been moved to this edition

 

My question : does anyone know if the Enterprise Gateway requires the SQL Server 2016 Enterprise edition or is the Standard edition sufficient?

 

Kind regards,

 

Wouter

 

 

6 REPLIES 6
martintints
Regular Visitor

Hello!

 

This question has been bugging me as well. I would very much would like offical answer from PBI team! I have emailed Microsoft local office, Microsoft regional office and hybridbi@microsoft.com with this question without any serious answers. 

 

If someone has any information on this, please share. We have a project starting that is dependant on this answer 🙂

 

Thanks!

Martin

@Sandy  @chass Would it be possible to get an "official" PBI team answer to the above thread. Does the use of the EG gateway require Enterprise level SQL for SSAS or will Standard work for SQL 2016?


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I got a response from Microsoft on my question.

 

Microsoft:

Enterprise Gateway gives you the benefit of using Analysis Services Tabular mode in DirectQuery mode and this is Enterprise Edition only feature. Other than that I think there is no specific requirement for the customer to use Enterprise Edition with Enterprise Gateway.

 

Wouter:

Just to confirm. My client only wants to use the live connection to Tabular Model – so not the DirectQuery mode. Can I tell him that the Standard Edition is sufficient?

 

Microsoft:

Yes, technically speaking Standard Edition is sufficient.

@woutervolkeri I'm assuming you are referring to the use of the live connection to Tabular models in the different editions. I would assume there won't be any restrictions at all, the restrictions you list are purely due to the fact that Tabular Models weren't supported in other editions of SQL. Since it is offered in Ent and Std for 2016, I see no reason why they would introduce controls of editions with 2016... You either have a tabular model to connect to, or you don't. How you get there is dependent on your edition of SQL, which is well before the EG is introduced.


Looking for more Power BI tips, tricks & tools? Check out PowerBI.tips the site I co-own with Mike Carlo. Also, if you are near SE WI? Join our PUG Milwaukee Brew City PUG

@Seth_C_Bauer Thanks for your reply. Indeed, I'm referring to the live connection on Tabular Models.

 

I could follow your logic, however there is a slight detail that confuses me. If I'm right, the minimum requirement for using the Enterprise Gateway does not only count for Tabular Model, but also for multidimensional. Thus, even though multidimensional is part of the Standard edition in every SQL Server version, you still need at least the BI edition for using the Enterprise Gateway.

 

This would mean that it's not purely due to the fact that Tabular Models were not supported.

 

Below you'll find the link to the article where Microsoft describes that the BI edition is a minimum requirement for use the live connection for multidimensional.

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/power-bi-gateway-enterprise-now-supports-live-connections-t...

 

 

@woutervolkeri If we are opening up the conversationt to multi-dimensional, I'll add the following to my response. Multi-dimensional support appears to be directly tied to when Microsoft started supporting DAX against Multi-dimensional cubes. If you look at the limitations/requirements for connecting to MD from this page, you'll note that a requirement along with BI/ENT is that you must be on SQL Server 2012 SP1 CU4 - this correlates to the release of PowerView reports working against MD.

So in reality, both SSAS types are tied directly to support of Tabular Models. So in 2016, since Tabular is supported in Standard, as well as MD, then I'm assuming the documentation will update to include (Except 2016 Standard) or something to that effect for MD support due to the fact that Tabular is supported in that edition now.


Looking for more Power BI tips, tricks & tools? Check out PowerBI.tips the site I co-own with Mike Carlo. Also, if you are near SE WI? Join our PUG Milwaukee Brew City PUG

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