What happens with a semantic model connection when the creator leaves the project?

[amaaiia]

I have seen that I have a lot of connections created in the Manage connections and gateways tab, and I have seen that they are connections semantic models use to connect to the data. I have several doubts:
1. Is it necessary a new connection to be generated for each semantic model I have?
2. I access to the configuration of a connection and I see that I can't change the name of it, it remains the SQL Server Connection String+database id as the name, which is a not very intuitive name. Since it is necessary to have a new connection for each semantic model and if I have 100 there would be 100 connections, can't I at least give it an intuitive name that tells me what the connection is for?
3. I click on Manage users in a connection and it doesn't let me share the connection with anyone. If my account leaves the tenant, do I understand that the connection stops working? Therefore, the semantic model stops working and so do the reports that feed from that semantic model?

I am trying to generalise all the processes in Fabric so that an account is not responsible for anything and that if it leaves the project or the tenant the flows and reports do not stop working.

[v-shex-msft · Accepted solution]

HI @amaaiia,

#1, Yes, normally each semantic mode has its own connection. If you have multiple reports that design based on the same source, you can consider to design and publish one report to service side and other reports connect to the published model. Then these reports only required one model and connection.

#2, Currently it seems like you can’t be custom with these connection names. Perhaps you can submit an idea for add a description field to customize these connections.

Microsoft Fabric Ideas

#3, You can consider taking the ownership of the semantic model to keep these contents available.

Semantic models in the Power BI service - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

You can use the semantic models - Take Over In Group API to take over ownership if a semantic model owner leaves the organization.

Regards,

Xiaoixn Sheng

[amaaiia]

Hi,

About 3rd point:

Here there are two different features: the semantic model and the connection. Someone can take over my semantic model but the connection that semantic model uses is not going to be his.

I've tested it:

1. Another account has taken over the semantic model:

2. Then, I go to Manage connections and gateways tab and I check ownership of the connection used. The connection is still mine, is not from the account that has taken over the semantic model. So If I leave the project now, what happens with the connection?

[v-shex-msft]

Hi @amaaiia,

I think it is making sense to require recreating model connections that takes ownership.(it probably for security reasons)
If you want to keep using old version connections, you can use REST API to get the connection at first, then you can use this in recreate steps.

Datasets - Get Datasources In Group - REST API (Power BI Power BI REST APIs) | Microsoft Learn

Regards,

Xiaoxin Sheng