Forum Discussion
On-Prem vs. Cloud?
Rob another question,
I have since downloaded the power BI desktop client, in the fifth paragraph you mentioned that the release schedule for report server is not on par with the cloud version which gets monthly updates. The way I understand it you need a power BI pro license to publish power BI reports to the on-premise server. So I downloaded Power BI Desktop and it works without issue, I can save my rerports to the server I have setup. I seem to be getting updates though very regularily for the power BI desktop product, monthly I believe as you mentioned. When you mentioned that the report server gets three monthly updates are you referring to the server component not the desktop client tool used to design the reports? If so have you found that the implication of this is that if some feature is realeased in power BI desktop, say a visualisation for example, that has not yet been released in the 3 monthly server update does it just not work when you deploy the report or does the option to use the new feature just not appear in power BI desktop? Have you found this to be an inconvenience, or am I completely off track with how this works. thanks again.
Des
Hi des,
The Power BI Desktop and PBI RS come as a matched pair. We use the latest versions available released Nov 1 2017. You are recommended to only use the PBI desktop designed for use with the RS, and with the same release version.
It sounds like yo are saying you are using the normal PBI Desktop for the cloud for building PBIX files to publish to the RS. If so I'm surprised this works. I think you are dancing on thin ice if this is so, likely to hit deployment errors at anytime.
As to licensing, you need either a power Power BI Premium subscription or a SQL Server Enterprise license covered by Software Assurance to be covered to use the PBI RS on prem.
And you need Power BI Pro lic to publish PBIX from desktop to PBI RS.
Robert,
Thank you again for your clarification, I have been busy testing pre implementation so haven't checked back for a while, what you said makes complete sense. So basically every 4 months, I believe this is what MS are commiting to at the moment you need to update server side software as well as you Power BI design clients software, as you mentioned the Power BI RS version not the normal cloud client S/W I was using. I have since dowloaded the correct and latest one from here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=56722 and as per your clarifiation the option to save is now back. I can only guess that at some point I installed the RS power BI client design tool (which had the save as to server option), then installed the cloud one (which got rid of the option), and now after installing the version above it's back as it should be.
I assume that having to do this matched pair style release might exlude us from being able to use the dowloadable "import from marketplace" custom visuals? Or can you only download some in line with the current Power BI RS client version? Is that your experience? If so that's a shame.
I found an explanation here as to why cloud and RS can't be kept in sync. https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas/suggestions/20469499-updates-to-report-server-should-be-available-more certainly a valid explanation but still unfortunate for on-premise implementations
thanks,
Des.
Hi des,
Glad the info was helpful.
You are right that some of the custom visuals do not work under the On-Prem server, but others do, I'm not sure how you find out if they do or don't other than by trying to build and deploy a test PBIX. For example the ArcGIS mapping visual does not function. I have posted questions about this, but had no real response from MS. I think it is likely that where a custom visual is developed by a 3rd party who wants to sign users up to a monthly subscription in order to use the "upgraded" edition of the visual then it is likely to remain a cloud only visual.
Regards
RobThanks good to know,
For the custom visuals that you have used that do work did you have to install a server component or does it just get taken across when you deploy it to the server?
thanks,
Des