Connect Azure to Power BI: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Today's generation has witnessed a wide range of technologies in the last years but only a few gathered much attention since their production and one such technology is Azure. Since then, people are engaging in Azure to carry out a large number of functions which would otherwise be impossible to learn. The services of Azure has remained at the top of the list due to their efficiency and effectiveness.

 That is why people are getting more drawn towards acquiring various certifications constituting knowledge regarding Azure and its services. Where someone wants to acquire Azure Administrator Certification, the other person may be procuring a promising career after acquiring Azure DevOps Engineer Certification.

Now, have you ever wondered what it would be like to couple Azure with some of the other services? What change would it bring us and how organizations can utilize that integration for their betterment? This is what brings us here where we will discuss the connection of Microsoft Azure with that of Power BI. In this guide, we will help you to develop a better understanding of Azure, Power BI, and how they can be connected for your own gain. Mentioned below is the brief structure of how this comprehensive guide is going to proceed to help you to better understand all the terms.

• What is Microsoft Azure?
• What are the Benefits of Microsoft Azure to an Organization?
• What is Microsoft Power BI?
• What are the Benefits of Microsoft Power BI to an Organization?
• Prerequisites Required for Connecting Azure to Power BI
• Major Steps to Connect Azure to Power BI
• What are the Benefits of Integrating Microsoft Azure and Power BI?
• Final Thoughts

What is Microsoft Azure?

Microsoft Azure is a service that is based on Cloud Computing and these services are used for a variety of functions to overcome various challenges faced by an organization. With the help of this platform, one can manage, deploy, and monitor all the applications that are already present in it and/or transferred to it. In the case of virtual computing or database, it provides solutions in the form of SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS.

Microsoft keeps this platform update so that all of your operations safe and secure for as long as you are using these services. No matter which programming language you know or understand, this platform consists of all the languages along with all the frameworks needed to bring about vital changes.

In various instances, due to miscellaneous reasons, the entire data or a set of data gets lost by an organization and it becomes difficult to recover that data. However, Microsoft Azure provides you with the opportunity to save your data where nothing can bring any harm to it. Moreover, it also enables you to back up your data in case it gets lost or misinterpreted.

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What are the Benefits of Microsoft Azure to an Organization?

 The one thing that has contributed most to the growth and revenue of Microsoft is Azure. Azure has been an important part of our lives since its production and it's only benefitting us ever since. It offers a wide range of services, however, the most important ones are mentioned below.

1. Management of Applications

IaaS of Microsoft Azure helps to build, manage, deploy, and monitor all the applications within or out of its network. Any organization that has incorporated this technology has the ability to launch its own applications or alter the ones that are already existing.

2. Augmented Quickness

The one thing that a company or an organization most want is the pace at which all the applications are deployed. Even a minute up or down can bring disastrous outcomes for an organization and this is the main reason why organizations are embracing the advantages brought by Microsoft Azure. Azure is the quickest way to deploy and manage applications because it remains up-to-date at all times.

3. Maximum Storage Capacity

The complexity and the amount of data are being increased day by day which asks for more place for it to be securely stored. There may be a large number of systems present for storage purposes but some of them may not be secure enough to safely deposit your data contents. Microsoft Azure has taken us all by a storm due to its immense storage capacity that is extremely reliable due to the availability of various data points and centers. Moreover, if an organization wants to share various applications or any other important information, it can conveniently use this platform to perform such functions.

4. Increased Analytics Support

New opportunities can only come forward if you are intending to make effective and proficient decisions for your organization. This can only be possible if you have all the information that you need in terms of documents, figures, numbers, or anything. Microsoft Azure helps you to establish effective solutions which in turn result in effective decision-making. It uses various analytical tools and techniques to extract valuable information from your data which is then forwarded to the higher authorities to put into action.

5. Disaster Recovery

Many organizations face various disasters from time to time but only those organizations proceed which recover every disaster that has taken place on the premises. Disaster may be of any kind such as important contents of the data get stolen or destroyed, the trust of the customers break up, some machines stop working, or any other calamity. In such cases, only those software are up to work which have the ability to recover all the disasters and one such software is Microsoft Azure. This software utilizes various failover options or standby modes to ensure the smooth working of the systems.

6. Provides Enhanced Security

With increasing advancements in technology, the hacking abilities of all the culprits around the world have also enhanced. The main threat to every organization is to deal with the outside invaders who gain unauthorized access to its systems and then compromise all the information present. In this way, not only the information of the organization gets compromised but the personal information of all the customers also becomes the victim of this notorious evil.

Therefore, Microsoft Azure provided enhanced security to your data because of its spy-protected environment. Moreover, the data present on this platform will only be authorized by limited people which is also protected by two-factor authentication, biometric reader, access readers, and, hand geometry.

What is Microsoft Power BI?

Major organizations use a large number of business analytics services and tools for various purposes but Microsoft Power BI remains ahead of every one of them. Microsoft Power BI enables you to have interactive visualizations of all the data collected by a given organization. Moreover, the capabilities of Business Intelligence are also provided by this business analytics service by Microsoft.

The prime function of Microsoft Power BI is to create efficient dashboards and reports that can provide better data insights to the users. By using a customized Software Development Kit, one can change the visualization settings, depending upon the requirements. Microsoft Power BI is available in a variety of names such as Power BI Desktop, Power BI Mobile, and Power BI Service. These names solely depend upon the usage of this business analytics service by any organization.

Power BI Desktop provides a large number of customized services such as transformation, visualization, and publication of your data. This category of Power BI is renowned because it offers these services, free of cost. The services of Power BI Pro will extract $9.99 out of pocket at the end of each month. On the other hand, Power BI Premium will cost you $4995 monthly due to its functionality on Cloud.

What are the Benefits of Microsoft Power BI to an Organization?

Microsoft has been stayed ahead in the field of technology for as long as we remember and it has become our first choice for quite a long time. On the other hand, Business Intelligence is the analytical system that has driven a large number of essential functions in an organization, from extracting useful information to helping in the processes of decision-making. Microsoft has come forward yet again with its prestigious formation known as Microsoft Power BI which offers an immense number of benefits to organizations that are mentioned below.

1. Tailored Dashboards

Tailoring the dashboards in Power BI is the most crowning feature of this software where one can make amends according to its needs and requirements. To provide a unified experience to the users, any organization can embed the BI reports along with the dashboards to customize them according to your likings.

2. No Speed and Memory Constraints

Some organizations have an already working BI system present and when they incorporate Power BI, it is essential to shift all the working to this powerful cloud environment. With the help of Power BI, one can totally avoid speed and memory constraints to make sure that all the vital data remains safe and secure.

3. Seamlessly Integrates with Applications

No matter if you use cloud-based applications or other, there will be no hurdle in connecting with such applications because Microsoft Power BI helps you to achieve seamless connectivity. Not only the applications but various intuitive tools are also a part of this connection which helps in various processes.

4. Secure Publishing of the Reports

With Microsoft Power BI, one can publish all the reports exclusively without any doubt of corrupting the reports because this intelligence helps to keep it secure. Moreover, the tools present in Power BI helps to refresh the reports so that all the latest information remains available to the users.

5. Balanced Performance and Simplicity

Power BI contains a lot of in-built tools that can help to balance out the performance of the system with that of simplicity. For instance, the blend of a certain scripting language, DAX, with that of in-memory technology for analyzing can help you to figure out the reasons behind balanced performance and simplicity.

6. Rapidly Extracts Business Intelligence

Microsoft Power BI helps to extract valuable information from your data and then transform this information into a set of rich visuals that can be used for further processes. In this way, this Microsoft software utilizes Business Intelligence for effective decision-making.

Prerequisites Required for Connecting Azure to Power BI

Now, we are proceeding to the exciting part of this guide where we will begin learning how you can connect Azure to the Power BI. But before jumping to know how you can connect both of these essential services, you need to acknowledge a few prerequisites that are necessary to start this connection.

• You have to sign up on Azure and make an account.
• You must have a sample database on your server of Azure.
• The permission to read must be available on your sample database.
• You must install the Power BI beforehand.

Major Steps to Connect Azure to Power BI

Azure has a range of systems that can be connected to Power BI, therefore, before moving on to the connecting part, we need to understand a few Azure-related terms.

• Azure SQL Database: If you are looking for the most secure Azure database then this SQL Database should be your prime choice. Azure SQL Database is the most secure, reliable, and scalable database that is entirely built on the platform of Cloud. Moreover, when this platform is fully automated, Azure SQL Database offers all the features of Artificial Intelligence that can be used for various functions.
• Azure HDInsights: In the case of open-source analysis, this software is the best choice because not only is this cost-effective but it also an enterprise-grade service. It also offers to be highly flexible along with being extremely easy to comprehend and use.
• Azure SQL Data Warehouse: This is the software that is built on the platform of Azure Cloud and its warehouse is built on the server of SQL. The warehouse of this software consists of petabyte-scale MPP that can be utilized for a large number of purposes.
• Azure Analysis Service Database: This database can be termed as a Platform as a Service, PaaS, that is fully automated. This service helps the organizations in providing a model of enterprise-scale built on the platform of Cloud.

In this comprehensive guide, we will establish an understanding of connecting Power BI to two kinds of Azure Databases namely; Azure SQL Database and Azure Analysis Service Database. This leads us to divide the connection of Power BI to Microsoft Azure into two modules which are stated as follows.

Major Steps to Connect Microsoft Azure SQL Database to Power BI

There are three major steps to connect Azure SQL Database to that of Power BI and these steps are mentioned as follows.

Step 1: Connect to Azure SQL Database

Start by installing Power BI Desktop and after opening it, you will see a Home Ribbon at the side of Power BI Desktop. When you will click on this ribbon, you will see a lot of options but you will select Get Data. On the left side of this Data, you will see Azure, click on it, and then Azure SQL Database will be visible to you. Click on this and select Connect which will enable you to immediately connect with this database.

Step 2: Name Your SQL Server Database

In the server of the SQL Database, you will have to add the name of the server along with the name for your database. After providing the said credentials, you will have to click on DirectQuery to set your database. Now, all you have to do is to click on OK to get everything ready to get it working.

Step 3: Connect

If you provide all the correct information, you will proceed to use Power BI Desktop and all your data will be efficaciously loaded on this Desktop. When you hit the connect button, all the options to visualize your data will be on your screen. However, if there is even single incorrect information, you will be notified to try again and you will have to provide all the required information again.

Major Steps to Connect Microsoft Azure Analytics Service Database to Power BI

Below mentioned are some of the major steps to connect the Microsoft Azure Analytics Service Database to your Microsoft Power BI.

Step 1: Copy the Name of Your Server

On Microsoft Azure, go to the portal where you will see Server and click on it. On the left side of the Server, you will see Overview where you will see the name of your server which you will copy for further processes.

Step 2: Connect Azure Analytics Service Database

Get yourself equipped with Microsoft Power BI Desktop and then go to the Home Ribbon where you will see an option naming Get Data. On the left side of this panel, you will see Azure, click on it, and then choose Azure Analysis Services Database. After selecting Connect, your Power BI will be connected to this database of Azure.

Step 3: Name your Azure Server

In the panel of the Server, you will be asked to name your server along with your database. Once you name them, you will have to select Connect Live and then select OK.

Step 4: Connect

Once you provide the names for your server and the database, you will be asked to connect to your Power BI. This will be the case only if you provide correct information from the start otherwise you will have to do all of it, all over again.

What are the Benefits of Integrating Microsoft Azure and Power BI?

 As everything is moving forward in today's world, the advancements in technology are also blowing us away with each passing year. Similarly, the integration of Microsoft Azure with that of Power BI is something that every organization wants to accomplish now more than ever. The main reason behind this integration is that it enables organizations to develop better insights into the data by providing several reports and real-time analytics.

This integration is the most effective way of turning business intelligence into a real-life experience. It is irrespective of the fact that the processing of your data is on-ground or cloud-based, complex or straightforward, real-time or warehoused, enormously-scaled, or single-scaled. The amalgam of Power BI and Azure will continue to astonish you on any given premises. Therefore, to master the skills completely, people are acquiring different Azure certifications.

Power BI has a large number of available connections on Azure which can help to drive out effective solutions for your business. Depending upon your requirements, you can connect your Microsoft Power BI to numerous Azure connections or just one to refine your data.

Final Thoughts

Now, we have approached the end of this comprehensive guide where we can conclude by saying that if you want effective solutions, you must connect Azure to Power BI. Many enterprises hit rock-bottom when they are unable to form valid and proficient decisions for their organizations. This is where Power BI steps in and when it's coupled with a competent cloud-based open-source platform, Microsoft Azure, it turns the wheels faster for an organization.

This is the ultimate reason why most organizations are embracing this integration but before diving into assimilating these to junctions, you need to have some knowledge regarding Microsoft Azure. Only then you will be able to work with Business Intelligence like you are supposed to. Thus, this is the time to master Azure skills by procuring Azure DevOps Engineer Certification which will help you to engineer the basic Azure skills and how you can imply those skills practically.

On the other hand, Azure Administrator Certification will help you to grasp the basic concepts of Azure along with acknowledging the fundamental rules to administer Microsoft Azure. The amalgam of Azure with that of Microsoft Power BI is certainly the buzzword in today's technological world. Therefore, if you want to become a promising asset of the IT industry, get yourself equipped with these certifications.