Dataset refresh wasn't enough memory failed on F8 instance

[dpombal]

Hi I am trying to refresh a semantinc model with a Fabric F8 instance and this error appears.

In theory the limit of F8 is 3GB.

Error message.

Data source error: Resource Governance: This operation was canceled because there wasn't enough memory to finish running it. Either reduce the memory footprint of your dataset by doing things such as limiting the amount of imported data, or if using Power BI Premium, increase the memory of the Premium capacity where this dataset is hosted. More details: consumed memory 1761 MB, memory limit 1510 MB, database size before command execution 1561 MB. See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2159753 to learn more.
Cluster URI: WABI-UK-SOUTH-redirect.analysis.windows.net
Activity ID: 9372f157-c38e-49da-be7c-154f4ddff137
Request ID: fb4cdd81-8a70-74a7-71a3-0b1402abe6ee

Documentation

Microsoft Fabric F8 capacity offers a maximum memory limit of 3GB or roughly 2.9GB in practice) for semantic models.
This constraint applies to the total size of the model in memory, which includes both the data storage and the overhead required for refreshing. 
Key F8 Memory and Limitation Details: Max Memory: \(3\text{\ GB}\) (\(3,072\text{\ MB}\)) for semantic models.Dataset Size:
While the on-disk size can be larger, the in-memory, queryable size is limited to \(3\text{\ GB}\).
Refresh Limits: During data refresh, memory usage can spike; if the model size plus refresh overhead exceeds 3GB, the refresh will fail.
Concurrent Queries: F8 allows for 10 concurrent DirectQuery connections per semantic model.
Scaling: If 3GB is insufficient, upgrading to F16 increases the memory limit to 5GB. 
For best performance, it is recommended to keep the active in-memory footprint well below the 3GBlimit, particularly during scheduled refreshes. 
Fabric refresh failed due to memory limit

[tayloramy]

Hi @dpombal, 

That 3GB limit is for the entire capacity, so if you have more than just that one report running, your report cannot use the full 3GB. 

I recommend either reducing the data size of your report if you have any unnecessary data, or upgrading to a larger capacity. 

[ssrithar · Accepted solution]

Hi @dpombal 

Even though F8 supports ~3 GB, you’re only getting access to ~1.5 GB during refresh.

The reason is during refresh, Fabric allocates temporary memory for query folding, compression, dictionary building, etc.

If other workloads (like Power BI queries or other dataset refreshes) are using memory at the same time, your dataset gets less than the full 3 GB.

Check Real-Time Memory Use in Metrics App

• Total capacity usage at the time of refresh

• Memory and CPU consumed by other workloads

• Whether throttling or evictions occurred

• Run the refresh during off-peak hours

• Avoid overlapping with other refreshes or DirectQuery loads

[AntoineW]

Can you check your capacity usage on the App Metrics ? 

References : 

https://learn.microsoft.com/fabric/enterprise/metrics-app