Azure and Power BI can be connected to combine their functionalities. Find out why and how to integrate the cloud and Microsoft’s Business Intelligence platform (Azure Power BI).
Power BI business intelligence software and the Azure cloud are among the most widely used tools in the enterprise. Both are published by Microsoft.
As a result, you can connect Azure and Power BI to take advantage of new possibilities. In particular, you can visualize Azure data, generate reports and dashboards, and benefit from real-time information. Find out why and how to connect these two platforms…
What is Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft Azure is Microsoft’s cloud. This platform brings together software, infrastructure and platforms as a service.
Companies can build, manage and deploy applications on this cloud. A wide variety of services are available, including databases, development tools, virtualization environments and even a Machine Learning studio.
What is Power BI?
Power BI is a Business Intelligence platform developed by Microsoft. It offers business intelligence and interactive data visualization capabilities, to simplify self-service business analysis for enterprises.
Users can easily create reports and dashboards to extract information from data. In addition, a development kit enables the creation of customized visualizations.
The Power BI platform is available in several forms: the Power BI Desktop PC software, the Power BI Mobile application for smartphones and tablets, and also Power BI Service in the cloud.
Why connect Azure and Power BI?
By combining Power BI with Azure cloud services, it’s possible to transform data into real-time information for your organization. The native connectivity and integration between these two tools brings Business Intelligence initiatives to life.
You can turn your data into a competitive advantage, using these two tools to connect, combine and analyze all the data at your disposal. Business analysts, IT teams and data scientists can collaborate seamlessly on a unified platform.
A wide range of Azure connections are supported by Power BI, enabling you to build tailor-made business intelligence solutions to meet your company’s specific needs.
Numerous Azure data sources can be connected to Power BI, and the data can then be formatted and refined to create reports. Power BI’s visualization and reporting capabilities enable information to be delivered to those who need it via Azure applications.
With Power BI, you can analyze all your Azure data without worrying about data type or volume. What’s more, you’ll be able to leverage Power BI’s Machine Learning and AI capabilities.
Simply press the “Get Data” button on Power BI Desktop or in Azure Services to establish a connection. For example, you can establish a connection to Azure SQL Database, Azure HDInsight or Azure Blob Storage, and then choose the subsets of data you need.
The same data connections and query can be used to build multiple reports for different audiences. Simply create a new report page and configure the visualizations for each audience.
What’s more, the connection between Azure and Power BI enables unlimited expansion. You can use multi-source data processing, data stream analysis, real-time systems, and combine numerous SaaS to create business intelligence reports that give your company a competitive edge.
What Azure services can I connect to Power BI?
Power BI can be connected to various Azure services. The Azure SQL Database is cloud-based, scalable, reliable, and offers AI functionality on a fully automated platform.
Similarly, the Azure SQL Data Warehouse is a SQL Server-based data warehouse running on Microsoft’s cloud platform. The open source Azure HDInsights service makes data analysis simple, flexible and cost-effective.
Power BI can also be connected to Azure Analysis Service Database, a fully automated PaaS for data analysis in the cloud.
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Data is stored securely and compliantly, and can be exploited by all branches of the organization in a simple, scalable and unified way.
Power BI and Azure Databricks
In combination with Power BI, Azure Databricks enables you to use Apache Spark technology to analyze large volumes of data efficiently and securely.
The Azure Databricks connector enables you to consume data stored on your Data Lake directly, and transform data at any scale to gain insights via analytical dashboards and operational reports.
This open, unified platform enables efficient collaboration between data scientists, data engineers and business analysts on all types of analytical workflow.
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Power BI and Azure Machine Learning
With just a few clicks, business analysts can build machine learning models directly in Power BI data streams, or enrich data with pre-built models.
Power BI reports and dashboards can be automatically generated and include Machine Learning-enhanced insights. This enables users to make confident decisions.
What’s more, Power BI’s machine learning automation accelerates model development and supports core tasks such as classification, regression or time series forecasting.
What is Power BI Embedded?
To take full advantage of your company’s data, it’s possible to embed attractive, interactive visualizations into applications, websites, portals and much more.
Power BI Embedded on Azure facilitates this integration to deliver a high-quality user experience across all devices.
Interactive reports and dashboards will set your company apart from the competition. In addition, deployment, monitoring and automation tools will help you reduce costs and development time.
How do you connect Azure and Power BI?
To connect Azure and Power BI, you’ll need an Azure account and a database on your Azure server. You’ll also need to install Power BI.
To connect the Azure Analytics Service Database to Power BI, go to the Azure portal in the Server section. On the left-hand panel, select the “Overview” option, then copy the server name.
Then go to Power BI Desktop, and choose “Get Data” on the home page ribbon. Choose Azure, then click on “Azure Analysis Services Database” and “Connect”.
On the Server panel, enter the server name and database name. Then click on “Connect Live” and “OK” to confirm.
Enter your login details and click on “Connect” to start loading data onto Power BI. You can now use the desired elements for visualization.
To connect the Azure SQL Database service to Power BI, click on the “Get Data” button on the Power BI Desktop home ribbon. Choose Azure from the list on the left, and click on “Azure SQL Database”. Then click on “Connect”.
On the Server panel, enter your server and database name. Click on “DirectImport”, then on “OK”. Enter your login details and click on “Connect”. Your data is now loaded onto Power BI, ready for viewing.
How do I learn to use Power BI on Azure?
Integrating Power BI and Azure opens up a wealth of possibilities. At a time when Business Intelligence and Cloud Computing are being used more and more in the enterprise, mastery of these tools is in high demand. To acquire this expertise, you can choose DataScientest.
Our Power BI training course gives you complete mastery of the platform in just five days. You’ll discover all the features of this tool and learn how to create dashboards and data visualizations. This course leads to Microsoft PL-300 Power BI Data Analyst Associate certification.
Similarly, our Microsoft Azure training takes place over five intensive days. It includes exams for the Microsoft AZ-104 Azure Administrator and DP-203 Data Engineering on Microsoft Azure certifications.
DataScientest is a Microsoft Learning Partner, and all our instructors are Microsoft Certified Trainers. What’s more, all our training courses are entirely distance learning, and are eligible for funding options. Don’t wait any longer and discover DataScientest!
