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Power Bi Connection Types: Trainer Name: Jabivulla Vanalli Email: Mobile: +91 7829533577 Youtube Channel

There are three types of connections available in Power BI: live connection, direct query, and import. Live connection allows accessing an existing SSAS model/cube. Direct query directly accesses data in databases without a model/cube. Import consumes data into the Power BI file for shaping and transforming. Each connection type has different capabilities and limitations for scaling, data manipulation, refresh frequency, and impact on source databases.

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56 views

Power Bi Connection Types: Trainer Name: Jabivulla Vanalli Email: Mobile: +91 7829533577 Youtube Channel

There are three types of connections available in Power BI: live connection, direct query, and import. Live connection allows accessing an existing SSAS model/cube. Direct query directly accesses data in databases without a model/cube. Import consumes data into the Power BI file for shaping and transforming. Each connection type has different capabilities and limitations for scaling, data manipulation, refresh frequency, and impact on source databases.

Uploaded by

Chaitanya IT Returns
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Trainer Name: Jabivulla Vanalli

Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +91 7829533577
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIUV3lP4RQEOqbY1funMH3w

Power BI Connection Types

There are 3 types of Connections are available in Power BI.

The first connection type is the “Live Connection”. This option is only available if you use
SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), which comes in two flavors, Multidimensional or
Tabular. With live connection, you can directly access an already built model/cube. This
method allows you to plug Power BI in as the front end visual component to your already
developed solution. It allows you to leave your data on premises and for much larger
model/cube solutions the added benefit is having that dedicated hardware to power your BI
project. It offers the most secure and robust method for building and maintaining a Power
BI solution.

Use With

SSAS Multidimensional

SSAS Tabular

The second connection type is “Direct Query”. It differs from the live connection in that it
provides a method to directly access your data from your databases instead of a
model/cube. Direct Query allows you to access even larger repositories of data, and also
keeps your data on premises. Unlike “Live Connection” you can leverage the Power BI
Desktop to build your business layer within Power BI. This means that you can extend the
data in your database by adding additional calculations in the form of measures or
calculated columns within Power BI Desktop.

Use With

SQL Server

Azure SQL Database


Azure SQL Data Warehouse

SAP HANA

The third and final option is “Import”. In fact, if you don’t use one of the above sources for
data, you may not even know that there is this option since it is the default for all other data
sources. This connection does not pass queries back and forth to your model or database,
but rather, it consumes the data from the data source into the Power BI Desktop file. It is
the only method that allows you to fully shape, transform and manipulate your data within
Power BI Desktop itself.

Use With

Any available supported data source in Power BI Desktop

Can you mix connection types?

No. Once you secure a connection to a data source with one type, you cannot connect to
another data source with a different connection type in the same PBI Desktop file.

Can I change connection types?

Yes and No. You can change from a Direct Query or Live Connection to Import if you want to
connect to another data source, but you cannot change from Import to Direct Query or Live
Connection. The switch to Import is permanent in a file, so be sure that is what you want to
do if you start with either of them.

Is Direct Query the same thing as Live Connection?

No. As outlined above, these are two different types of connections and should be
referenced as such. Direct Query transforms your DAX calculations into the language of the
database. Live Connection directly accesses a model/cube searching for Tabular metadata
and querying in DAX.

What are some of the drawbacks of each connection (on a high level)?

Importing has a few drawbacks. There is a 1GB limit to the file, so it only scales so high. It
could take a while to load or refresh larger data sets, or data sets that have been heavily
manipulated. You are only able to refresh a dataset 8 times a day in the Service.
Direct Query can be a bit slower than imported data, there are a few DAX limitations, and if
it isn’t a dedicated reporting database you are impacting the database and server with “x”
number of queries from users.

Live Connection requires Enterprise level SQL (up until SQL 2016). SQL 20016 offers limited
Tabular SSAS usage in Standard edition.

I hope this high level intro to connection types in Power BI guides you in the right direction.
If there are any other questions related to these connection types that you have? Ask in the
Comments, and I’ll be sure to add them above for future reference by others.

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