Author: Kay Unkroth, Principl Program Manager   Outbound Access Protection (OAP) is a workspace-level network security and governance feature that blocks outbound traffic from a workspace by default and lets you allow only the destinations you explicitly trust. With this preview, you can now extend ...

When you configure a Denodo data connection for Entra ID SSO, users querying a semantic model in DirectQuery mode are authenticated to Denodo with their own Microsoft Entra ID identity.   Entra ID SSO, also known as Azure AD SSO, removes the on-premises dependency on Active Directory that Kerberos C...

When enabling Microsoft Entra ID single sign-on (SSo) for Starburst (Preview) report viewers querying semantic models in DirectQuery mode authenticate to Starburst with their own Entra ID identity, to Starburst's access policies — including row-level and column-level security rules — are evaluated a...

Using DirectQuery on Fabric Warehouse or the SQL Endpoint of a Lakehouse is great for large data volumes

Four years ago I wrote a blog about using DuckDB with Power BI in DirectQuery. It got a fair number of likes on LinkedIn :) along with the one comment I didn’t want to hear: how does this wor…

Four years ago I wrote a blog about using DuckDB with Power BI in DirectQuery. It got a fair number of likes on LinkedIn :) along with the one comment I didn’t want to hear: how does this wor…

Power BI DirectQuery can quietly overwhelm your SQL Server. Unlike Import mode, DirectQuery sends live T-SQL for every visual interaction, multiplying queries and placing heavy analytical load on the...

An architecture redesign to overcome DirectQuery headaches

Modern organizations rely on data from multiple systems, but combining that data without duplication or IT dependency has always been a challenge. That’s where DirectQuery for Power BI Datasets and Az...

Designing high-performance reports in Microsoft Power BI isn’t just about visuals it’s about architecture.   When connecting to semantic models, the choice between Live Connection and DirectQuery can dramatically impact speed, scalability, and user experience. Why does Live Connection feel so fast? What really happens behind the scenes when you combine multiple semantic models? And why does performance change when Power BI switches to DirectQuery over Analysis Services? In this article, we break down: * How Live Connection leverages the in-memory power of VertiPaq * How DirectQuery pushes queries back to sources like SQL Server Analysis Services, Azure Analysis Services, or Azure Synapse Analytics * Why using multiple semantic models forces an architectural shift * And how to choose the right connection mode for enterprise BI solutions   If you’re building governed, scalable Power BI platforms, understanding this distinction is critical. The right connection strategy doesn’t just improve performance it defines the long-term success of your reporting architecture.

How strict and eager evaluation can affect parallelism in DirectQuery mode

How strict and eager evaluation can affect parallelism in DirectQuery mode

AI is about to expose weak BI architecture. "DirectQuery" collapses under machine curiosity. Decision-aligned design is the only way forward.

How strict and eager evaluation can affect parallelism in DirectQuery mode

DirectLake has a way of sounding wonderfully simple: “Power BI, but it reads the lake directly.” Then you build two semantic models that both say DirectLake, and they behave… differently. One falls back to DirectQuery when you least expect it. Another refuses to touch your SQL views. Security works for you, but not for your report consumers. Suddenly, “DirectLake” feels less like a feature and more like a riddle. The good news: this is explainable. And once you understand the two flavors—DirectLake over SQL and DirectLake over OneLake…