Data Connectivity and Refresh in Power BI Service

Power BI Service enables connectivity to a wide range of data sources, from on-premises databases to cloud services. This makes it easy to refresh data and keep reports up-to-date.

1. Connecting to Data Sources

   • Power BI Service supports multiple data connections, such as:
     • Cloud sources: Azure SQL, Salesforce, Google Analytics, etc.
     • On-premises sources: SQL Server, Oracle, Excel, etc.
     • Web-based sources: REST APIs, OData feeds, etc.
   • Data connections can be set up directly through Power BI Service by configuring the data source and providing authentication credentials.

2. Scheduled Data Refresh

   • Power BI Service allows you to schedule data refreshes for datasets. This ensures that your reports and dashboards always display the most up-to-date data.
   • Refresh can be set to occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, depending on your needs.
   • There is also the option for live connections, where data is queried in real-time rather than being refreshed on a schedule.

3. On-Premises Data Gateway

   • To connect Power BI Service to on-premises data sources, you need to install the On-Premises Data Gateway. This acts as a bridge between the Power BI Service and on-premises data sources like SQL Server or Excel files.
   • The gateway handles data refreshes and queries securely without the need to move data to the cloud.