Change Data Gateway Settings, and best practice for SQL Server?

[edhans]

When I initally set up our Power BI gateway to connect to an on prem SQL Server, I foolishly used my network login info. I need to change it in the gateway to use a different account so it isn't dependant on my user ID.

1. How do I do this? I've launched the gateway on our local machine and logged in, but cannot find a way to change the account.
2. For SQL server, is it best to use a domain account, or a SQL Server account with the appropriate read permissions to the relevant databases. I am thinking a SQL Server account as it doesn't have the additional security risks of a domain account with network permissions.

If I can make the change to one of our nodes, should I change the other two nodes in the cluster, or just wipe them off the PCs they are on and reinstall/restore from the correctly configured node in #1 above.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@edhans,

Firstly, you can directly go to settings->Managa gateways in Power BI Service, find the SQL data source within the configured gateway, then change account as shown in the following screenshot.


Secondly, you can use domain account or SQL account in this scenario, as Power BI uses this account to connect to your SQL instance, it will not access your network resources.

Thirdly, do you configure gateway in several machines? If so, you just need to change account as I describe in step 1.

Regards,
Lydia

[edhans]

Thank you Lydia. Super useful info. Since I set it up on the PC, I was expecting to modify it on the PC. My mistake. 🙂

On the network account, my concern wasn't the gateway posing a security risk but the existence of another domain user account being another attack surface.

I am going to try to modify this week. Also want to get the new gateway MS just released installed. Finally can mashup on-prem data with cloud (Sharepoint) data!