Dashboarding with Microsoft: Datazen & Power BI

Dashboarding with Microsoft:Datazen & PowerBI

Davide Mauri

Join the conversation on Twitter: @DevWeek // #DW2016 // #DevWeek


About MeMicrosoft SQL Server MVPWorks with SQL Server from 6.5, on BI from 2003Specialized in Data Solution Architecture, Database Design, Performance Tuning, High-Performance Data Warehousing, BI, Big DataPresident of UGISS (Italian SQL Server UG)Regular Speaker @ SQL Server eventsConsulting & Training, Mentor @ SolidQE-mail: [email protected]: @mauridb Blog: http://sqlblog.com/blogs/davide_mauri/default.aspx

mailto:[email protected]

http://sqlblog.com/blogs/davide_mauri/default.aspx


Agenda• Datazen

• Overview• Integration with custom app• Integration with Reporting Services 2016

• PowerBI• PowerBI Desktop• PowerBI Service• Integration with custom app• Integration with Reporting Services 2016

DatazenPast, present and Future


Datazen• On-Premises solution for creating Interactive Dashboards, KPI and

Social BI• Desktop + Mobile (all platform supported)


Datazen• The Datazen Solution:

• Server for caching and rendering • Windows App for creating and consuming report• Web App for consuming report

• Acquired by Microsoft in April 2015• “Free” for SQL Server Enterprise users

• Included in the SQL Server Software Assurance option

• From SQL Server 2016 integrated with Reporting Services


Datazen


Datazen• Supports multiple Data Sources

• Data Sources can be customized • for example if you need to set the CustomData value for SSAS

• Data can be cached or accessed in real-time• Real-Time allows usage of parametrized queries• Cached data can hold up to 100.000 rows

• http://www.datazen.com/blogs/post/datazen-3-0-data-paradigm • Allows dashboards to be available also offline


http://www.datazen.com/blogs/post/datazen-3-0-data-paradigm

Datazen• Download and install

• Server• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48112

• App• Windows 8/8.1/10: On the Windows App Store• Windows 7: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=47714

• Standalone server is ok for dev or small deployments• Scale out solution is recommend for medium/big environments


https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48112

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=47714


DEMODatazen Overview

Datazen – Integration with custom app• Objects can be access via URL

• Report can be rendered as HTML • Retains interactivity

• Report can also be rendered as Image• If you don’t want to use an IFrame for embedding

• Parameters default values can be set via URL• Dashboards can be delegated to be run on behalf the user

• Via Impersonation / Kerberos Delegation

• Windows Authentication is recommended (or even mandatory if row level security is needed) in this case!


Datazen – Integration with custom app• Parameters Name trick:

• To get the parameter “url” name• How to set default selection values for Datazen HTML5 reports

http://christopherfinlan.com/2015/09/02/how-to-set-default-selection-values-for-datazen-html5-reports/

• The parameter value is the key not the label





DEMODatazen Integration with custom app

Datazen and Reporting Services 2016• With SQL Sever 2016, Datazen has been integrated with Reporting

Services 2016• https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/dataplatforminsider/2015/10/29/microsoft-b

usiness-intelligence-our-reporting-roadmap/

• Single hub to access kpi, reports, dashboards

• Reporting Services 2016: *heavy* rework• New interface: HTML5• New look: “modern”• New features: Mobile bi, Integration with Power BI

• For Mobile Reports Authoring:• Microsoft SQL Server Mobile Report Publisher


https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/dataplatforminsider/2015/10/29/microsoft-business-intelligence-our-reporting-roadmap/

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/dataplatforminsider/2015/10/29/microsoft-business-intelligence-our-reporting-roadmap/

Datazen and Reporting Services 2016


Microsoft BI

Report Typ

es


http://www.sqlchick.com/entries/2016/4/6/microsoft-bi-integration-for-the-four-primary-report-types

Datazen and Reporting Services 2016• Will the Datazen name be going away?

• YES

• Will I be able to migrate my existing Datazen dashboards to the new experience?

• YES

• All the questions and answers:• https://christopherfinlan.com/2015/11/04/from-datazen-to-mobile-reports-in-

sql-2016-an-faq-on-what-it-means-for-you/


https://christopherfinlan.com/2015/11/04/from-datazen-to-mobile-reports-in-sql-2016-an-faq-on-what-it-means-for-you/

https://christopherfinlan.com/2015/11/04/from-datazen-to-mobile-reports-in-sql-2016-an-faq-on-what-it-means-for-you/


DEMOReporting Service 2016 Mobile Reports

Power BI


Power BI• Cloud solution for Data Visualization

• Dashboards & Interactive Charts• Some “reporting” features

• But Reporting is not the main thing here

• *Very well* integrated with Azure ecosystem• Made of four pieces

• Desktop Application• Mobile Application• Web Application• Web Service / RESTAPI


Power BI Desktop• Free tool for Data Exploration, Visualization and Dashboard Design

• Include also a Self-Service ETL tool “Power Query”• Based on a functional language name “M”

• Supports usage of DAX to manipulate Data once it’s loaded

• Can connect with almost *any* data source• Relational and not

• For the data sources that supports it, offer “Direct Query” mode• Otherwise load and works with data using an in-memory approach• *Very* Fast (it’s basically the SSAS Tabular Engine)


Power BI Web Application• Once defined your visualization with Power BI Desktop you can

publish it on Power BI website• Power BI Account needed

• But it’s also possible to create dashboards and reports right from the web

• “Content Pack” and additional data sources are available• Almost no support for data manipulation. It’s a *visualization* tool

• Usage of Power BI is free or 9.99$/6.2£ per user per month for “Pro”• Premium needed for improved data refresh and collaboration options…• …and for more space


Power BI Mobile• Mobile App for all platforms

• And beyond! Apple Watch supported too

• Allow access to published reports and dashboards

• Allow access to SQL Server 2016 KPI and Mobile Reports

• Support collaboration function of the “Pro” Power BI version



DEMOPower BI

Power BI – Integration with custom app• Rich set of API allows to manage Power BI features from custom App

• Create/Manage Datasets, List Reports• Send Data for Real-Time BI• http://docs.powerbi.apiary.io

• You can embed a Power BI Reports via the “Publish to Web” option• You can embed a Tile or a Reporting into a custom app via REST API

• IFrame based-solution

• From April the “Power BI Embedded” feature is in Preview• Full support for embedding Power BI solution into custom app• Pay-Per-Render

• You can extend Power BI via HTML5 + D3.js


http://docs.powerbi.apiary.io/

Power BI – Integration with custom app• Register your app here to obtain authentications token/keys

• https://dev.powerbi.com/apps

• Authenticate against Azure AD• OAuth2• Microsoft.IdentityModel.Clients.ActiveDirectory

• Detailed samples here:• https://github.com/Microsoft/PowerBI-CSharp


https://dev.powerbi.com/apps

https://github.com/Microsoft/PowerBI-CSharp

Power BI Embedded (Preview)


• Pay-Per-Render (render = a single visual item) • First 1K renders in a month are free• Then, 2.5€ / 1.5£ per 1K Render• No Power BI account needed for end-user (authentication is App Token based)

• Please note that “Power BI Embedded is only intended for external use and may not be used within internal business applications. In order to embed Power BI content for use in internal business applications, you should use the Power BI service, and all users consuming that content must have a valid Power BI Free or Power BI Pro user subscription license.”

• https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/power-bi-embedded/

Power BI Embedded (Preview)


https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/power-bi-embedded/


DEMOPower BI Custom application integration

Power BI – Reporting Services 2016• Reporting Services 2016 offer some level of integration with Power BI

• SSRS Reports can be pinned in Power BI Dashboards

• Power BI Mobile App (for iOS only right now) can also access to SQL Server Reporting Services 2016 Mobile Reports



DEMOPower BI SQL Server Reporting Services 2016


Thanks!Questions?


Demos available on GitHubhttps://github.com/yorek/devweek2016

https://github.com/yorek/devweek2016

Data & Analytics

Dashboarding with Microsoft: Datazen & Power BI