Microsoft Power BI and Fabric
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At the moment the cloud service center and the ID in general can only help with enabling Power BI and Fabric! Unfortunately, we cannot provide any support when it comes to how Power BI and Fabric can be used at the moment.
At the moment it the feature that everyone can create Fabric or Power BI workspaces is disabled. If a new workspace is needed this can be requested by filing a ticket to the cloud service center!
The reasoning behind this restriction is that the Fabric or Power BI service is fully functional since January of 2025 and it's launch is done in a guided way.
Description
The Microsoft services "Power BI" and "Fabric" are used in the context of data analytics. Data analytics can be summarized by saying:
Definition "Data Analytics" from Copilot
Data analytics is the process of collecting, processing, and analyzing data to gain valuable insights. It helps to identify patterns and trends, make informed decisions, and optimize processes. By visualizing the results, complex data is presented in an understandable way, which is used in many fields such as business, healthcare, and science.
What is Data Analytics? A Comprehensive Guide
Background
The Microsoft services "Power BI" and "Fabric" have a different history that have to be considered.
| Power BI | Fabric |
|---|---|
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An additional important aspect concerns the internally used formats for data storage: while Power BI is based on a Microsoft proprietary format, Fabric uses the open "Delta Parquet" format.
Distinction
The following grid shows how the services differ and what they have in common too:
| Power BI | Fabric | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Mainly to visualize data and create reports. | Data analyzation platform that makes data integration, data processing and data analysis possible in one platform. |
| Functionality |
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| Target group | Business analysts, managers and decision makers that need visual insights. | Data analysts, data scientists, IT pros and decision makers that need an extensive data analysis. |
| Use case | Ideal to create reports and dashboards to make data-based decisions. | Suitable for complex data analysis and management that integrate different data sources and formats. |
Therefore, the main differences are:
- Scope: Power BI focuses on the visualization of data and the creation of reports, while Fabric is a more extensive platform for data management and analysis..
- Integration: Fabric integrates multiple Microsoft tools (e.g. Azure Synapse, Data Factory) and provides a uniform SaaS environment, while Power BI can be used as a standalone tool.
Compare Power BI with MS Fabric
he way Microsoft has connected Power BI and Fabric can lead to misunderstandings! The following documentation should help to clear up these misunderstandings.
Basically, there are two portals with different URLs for working with Power BI and/or Fabric, but they basically just represent different “experiences” on the same technical portal.
| Power BI | Fabric |
|---|---|
| Power BI | Microsoft Fabric |
In both products, work is carried out in the context of a so-called “workspace”! In a workspace, authorization for the workspace and all necessary artifacts are created and managed. These workspaces are then configured as PowerBi or Fabric workspaces in accordance with the available licenses and/or Azure subscriptions.
The following image provides an overview of these dependencies:
The central administrative element when using Power BI and Fabric is the workspace.
A workspace is then configured as a Power BI or Fabric workspace based on existing licenses or Fabric capacity.
Power BI
Power BI is used via named licenses. For example, the ETH A5 Faculty licenses include a Power BI Pro license for using Power BI. The Power BI license “defines” the setup of the Power BI environment:
| Pro license | Premium license |
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Fabric
To use Fabric, however, an Azure subscription is required so that a so-called “Fabric Capacity” can be defined as a Fabric environment. Only when a “Fabric Capacity” with the appropriate correction is available can a workspace be configured as a Fabric Workspace.
An Azure subscription can be ordered via the IT Shop. A cost center or PSP element is required, as Azure Cloud charges are passed on.