Azure, Fabric Capacity, Logic Apps, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI

Microsoft Fabric: Revealing Cost-Saving Results from Automating Pause & Resume Fabric Capacity

Microsoft Fabric: Revealing Cost-Saving Results from Automating Pause & Resume Fabric Capacity

If you work in data and analytics, particularly within the Microsoft Data Platform, you have likely heard of Microsoft Fabric and its many capabilities. However, one of the biggest challenges organisations face is managing costs effectively.

In previous blogs and videos, I have covered how to optimise Microsoft Fabric capacity costs by automating the pause and resume process using Logic Apps. This approach ensures that your Fabric capacity runs only when needed, reducing unnecessary expenses. But how much can this method actually save? In this post, I share the real cost-saving results after applying this automation over the past few months.

Why Automate Pause & Resume?

Microsoft Fabric is a powerful platform, but maintaining capacity during off-peak hours can be costly. If your workloads are not running 24/7, you might be paying for unused capacity. By automating the pause and resume process, you can ensure that your environment is active only when required, leading to substantial savings.

When Should Organisations Consider Automation?

Not every organisation requires automated capacity management, but here are some scenarios where it makes sense:

  • Non-Continuous Workloads: If your organisation runs batch processing, reporting, or analytics workloads that do not need 24/7 uptime, automation can help cut costs.
  • Business Hours Usage: If your team primarily operates during specific hours, pausing capacity during off-hours prevents unnecessary spending.
  • Seasonal or Project-Based Needs: Companies with fluctuating workloads based on seasons or projects can optimise expenses by automating capacity scaling.
Continue reading “Microsoft Fabric: Revealing Cost-Saving Results from Automating Pause & Resume Fabric Capacity” →
Data Visualisation, Fabric Administrator, Fabric Capacity, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Power BI Desktop, Power BI Service

Microsoft Fabric: Unlocking the Secrets to Mastering Shared Semantic Models – Part 2 – Implementation

This blog series complements a YouTube tutorial I published earlier this month, where I quickly covered the scenario and implementation of shared semantic models in Microsoft Fabric. However, I realised this topic demands a more detailed explanation for those who need a deeper understanding of the processes and considerations involved in one of the most common enterprise-grade BI scenarios.

In organisations with strong security and governance requirements, implementing shared semantic models is vital to ensure seamless and secure access to data. These organisations often split roles across various teams responsible for productionising analytics solutions. Typically, they have strict Row-Level Security (RLS) and Object-Level Security (OLS) implemented in their semantic models. The goal is to enable two key groups within the organisation:

  • Report Writers: They must access the semantic models securely. This means having sufficient permissions to create reports while ensuring access is restricted to only the relevant objects and data.
  • End-Users: They need access to trustworthy and relevant information without dealing with underlying complexities. All the heavy lifting should be managed behind the scenes.

The first blog laid the groundwork by covering all the essential core concepts necessary for successfully implementing this scenario. It also provided a clear explanation of the roles involved in the process.

Blog Series Overview

Initially, I planned to cover everything in one post. However, the scope turned out to be too large, so I split it into two parts to ensure clarity and avoid overwhelming readers. Here’s what the series includes:

By the end of this blog, you will apply the understanding from the previous post to a real-world scenario, managing secure access to shared semantic models in Microsoft Fabric, and implement the solution step-by-step.

If you prefer a video format, check out the tutorial on YouTube:

For those who enjoy diving into the details, let’s get started!

Continue reading “Microsoft Fabric: Unlocking the Secrets to Mastering Shared Semantic Models – Part 2 – Implementation” →
Fabric Administrator, Fabric Capacity, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, Power BI Desktop, Power BI Service

Microsoft Fabric: Unlocking the Secrets to Mastering Shared Semantic Models – Part 1 – Core Concepts

Microsoft Fabric: Unlocking the Secrets to Mastering Shared Semantic Models - Part 1 - Core Concepts

Managing and optimising shared semantic models in Microsoft Fabric, with a focus on securing access, is essential in today’s data-driven world. These models are the backbone of an organisation’s analytics, providing consistent and scalable insights across teams. Whether you’re an experienced professional or just starting with Microsoft Fabric, understanding how to manage access to shared semantic models is key to delivering impactful insights.

This blog focuses on the core concepts that are vital for building a strong foundation. These concepts are pivotal for a correct and successful implementation of shared semantic models. Without a solid grasp of these basics, it can be challenging to navigate the complexities of advanced configurations or ensure secure and efficient use of semantic models within Microsoft Fabric.

I originally planned to cover this topic in one blog, but it turned out to be too much for a single post. Splitting it into two parts allows me to explain everything clearly without making it overwhelming. Here’s what the series covers:

By the end of this blog, you’ll understand the basics of managing and optimising secured access to shared semantic models in Microsoft Fabric.

If you prefer a video format, check out the tutorial on YouTube:

For those who enjoy reading the details, keep scrolling!

Requirements

Before diving into the implementation of shared semantic models in Microsoft Fabric, it’s important to understand the prerequisites. This process has specific licensing and role requirements, which are outlined below:

  • At least Power BI Pro license: This is the minimum required license because Workspace functionality is available only with a Pro or higher license. For large semantic models you will required Power BI Premium Per User (PPU) or a Fabric Capacity.
  • Microsoft Fabric Administrator role: Necessary for configuring semantic model discoverability in the Admin Portal.
  • At least Workspace Member role: Required to set permissions on the semantic models.
  • At least Workspace Contributor role: Needed to assign users and security groups to RLS (Row-Level Security) and/or OLS (Object-Level Security) roles.

Ensure that you have the proper licenses and roles assigned before starting the implementation to avoid any disruptions or limitations in managing shared semantic models.

Continue reading “Microsoft Fabric: Unlocking the Secrets to Mastering Shared Semantic Models – Part 1 – Core Concepts” →
Power BI, Power BI Desktop

Separate Your Power BI Versions: How to Change Icons in Windows 11

Separate Your Power BI Versions; How to Change Icons in Windows 11

In a previous blog, we explored the different versions of Power BI Desktop, including the standard Power BI Desktop and Power BI Desktop RS, tailored for Power BI Report Server. In another blog, we discussed the two variations of the standard Power BI Desktop: the Microsoft Store version and the Downloaded version. We also discussed scenarios where having both versions installed side-by-side might be necessary. If you haven’t read those posts yet, I recommend checking them out for helpful insights.

In this blog, we focus on a common challenge when using both versions side-by-side: they share the same icon, making it difficult to quickly tell them apart. This often results in opening the wrong version and disrupting your workflow.

To address this, I’ll guide you through customising the application icons for Power BI Desktop on Windows 11. For those who prefer watching tutorials, here’s a link to the YouTube video:

If you’d rather read through the steps, keep scrolling.

Why Customise Power BI Icons?

As I have already explained here, Power BI Desktop versions serve different purposes. Having both versions installed is recommended for advanced users and organisations with specific use cases. However, their identical icons can cause confusion, particularly when managing multiple projects or workflows.

Continue reading “Separate Your Power BI Versions: How to Change Icons in Windows 11” →