Authentication Power BI Report Server

[powerbiexpert22]

how authentication happens in case of power bi report server? will it happen through windows active directory or azure active directiory?

[Ritaf1983 · Accepted solution]

Hi @powerbiexpert22 

Power BI Report Server uses Windows Authentication via an on-premises Active Directory (AD).

Authentication methods include:

1. Windows Authentication – Users are authenticated via Kerberos or NTLM when connected to the corporate domain.
2. Forms Authentication – Custom authentication can be configured via extensions, but this requires development.
3. Basic Authentication / Anonymous Access – Possible but not recommended for security reasons.

Power BI Report Server does not support Azure Active Directory (AAD) natively.
If external users or organizations using AAD need access, solutions like VPN or ADFS federation are required.

If the user is referring to Power BI Service (cloud), authentication is handled via Azure Active Directory (AAD).

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Bottom line:

Power BI Report Server primarily works with Windows Active Directory, not Azure AD.

For more details, refer to Microsoft's official documentation:

• 🔗 Authentication in Report Server
• 🔗 RsReportServer.config configuration file
• 🔗 Configure Windows Authentication for Report Server

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[Shravan133]

Both. depends on your scenario and needs.

1. Windows Active Directory (AD): This is the most common method, where users are authenticated using their Windows credentials. It supports NTLM and Kerberos authentication protocols

2. Azure Active Directory (AAD): For environments integrated with Azure, AAD can be used to authenticate users. This is particularly useful for hybrid environments where both on-premises and cloud resources are used