Deploy Custom Connector for Users of our Organization

[geekyPanda]

Hello, 

I just built two custom data connectors for our organization, and I want to deploy it in the way that these data connectors are visible just for our users. I wasn't able to find any documentation for this kind of deployment, could you please tell me is this possible to implement?

[geekyPanda]

I apologize for asking many questions about this, but I'm trying to figure out how can I make accessible data connector to our users, in the way that they can pull data from our APIs in Power BI Destop by using our connectors?

[lbendlin]

Don't apologize, this is a tricky subject and the doumentation is a bit lacking. Once you tried it out it becomes clearer.

Have fun with the authentication part... And the testing part...

[lbendlin]

Send them the .mez file with instructions where to copy it to.  Make sure you also install the .mez in all gateway cluster members.

[geekyPanda]

Where exactly I should send these files?

[lbendlin]

C:\Users\<userid>\Documents\Power BI Desktop\Custom Connectors

[geekyPanda]

I was able to complete everything form this  link https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Community-Blog/Custom-Data-Connector-How-to-Deploy-and-Test/ba-p/86...
 and evrything works fine. My question is how can our users access these connectors?  Is there any posibility that they can access to these connectors without certifying these connectors? 

[lbendlin]

I don't understand what you mean by "how can they access these connectors". By using them?

Connector certification is only important for third party connectors, not so much for ones you have created.

[geekyPanda]

So i created these connectors so our internal users can access the data. How can they use these data connectors to pull the data for their needs since there are different parameters they can enter and based on what they put in the parameters they can get that data? I setup a gateway but I'm not sure how our internal customers can use this as the next step.

[lbendlin]

you have two categories of users

- developers:  They need to install the custom connector .mez on their PC to consume the connection

- regular report users: They don't need to do anything.  You have installed the .mez on the gateways, the Power BI service is using these connectors and the report users are consuming the Power BI service as  usual.

[geekyPanda]

That means, there is no other way then certify our connectors to make it usable for our users? I mean that they can use these connections in their Power BI Desktop and pull data from our APIs.

[lbendlin · Accepted solution]

There is no need to certify your custom connectors if you only want to use them internally. Certification is part of the process to put your custom connector on the official list. I don't think you need that?

By placing the custom connector on your internal gateways you empower your report users to consume the connection defined by these connectors  (through dataset refreshes or direct query).  If they want they can install the connector for their Power BI Desktop but that is not a requirement for regular users.