Creation connection to datasource

[yailya]

Hi. Is it possible to create only connection to data source in Power Bi desktop (like in Tableau) rather than downloading whole database?

Ilya

[andre]

Depends on a data source.  Data from Analysis Services and SQL Azure data sources don't live in PowerBI.com.  When user interacts with visualizations based on those two data sources, the PowerBI.com service sends queries directly to Analysis Services or SQL Azure databases.  I think the Spark connector may work the same way as well, but I have not personally tested it yet.

All other data sources are persisted (or cashed) in the service.

[yailya]

Andre, thanks

Does this logic apply to Power Bi desktop?

[andre]

yes for analysis services (you have an option to direct connect or to extract from AS), probably not for SQL Azure, I think Desktop will always extract from SQL Azure