Guidance on Power BI Dataflow and Server Usage

[ANKITWAAH]

With PPU licenses, we only have access to Dataflow Gen1. I was able to upload data to the Query server in Dataflow Gen1, but I am unable to refresh the data.

The error says, “The data cannot be refreshed on the server.”

I have two questions:

1. My query has some steps that use server space to process data. Could this be causing the issue? If yes, how can I activate access to the server? I understand we have 100GB of server space allocated for processing.
2. If we can refresh data on the server, is the server private so that my data stays confidential? Or is the server public and my data might be visible to others?

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @ANKITWAAH,

Thank you for your inquiry.

The error message "The data cannot be refreshed on the server” typically relates to issues with gateway configuration, credentials, or unsupported transformations, rather than server storage limitations. The 100GB storage provided with PPU is automatically included in your license and does not require activation.

To address this, please review the following:

Gateway configuration: If your data source is on-premises, ensure the on-premises data gateway is correctly installed and configured. 
On-premises data gateway - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Data source credentials: Confirm and, if necessary, update the credentials in your Dataflow settings to ensure proper permissions.
Configure and consume a dataflow - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Transformations: Some Power Query steps may be supported in Desktop but not in Dataflow Gen1. 
Dataflows Limitations, restrictions and supported connectors and features - Power BI | Microsoft Lea...

In response to your questions:
Server usage: Data refresh operations utilize your PPU processing power, and failures are not related to storage capacity or manual server activation.
Data privacy: Your information remains private within Microsoft’s secure tenant environment and is not made public.
Data protection in Power BI - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn

Thank you.

[ANKITWAAH · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Thank you for your response, I believe it is a configurational issue from the microsoft side, we have approached them for better understanding - will surely update it here once the refresh issue is resolved.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @ANKITWAAH,

Thank you for the update. 
I appreciate that you have already contacted them. Please keep us informed once you receive a response or when the refresh issue is resolved, as this information could benefit others in the community for whom experiencing similar challenges.

Thank you.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @ANKITWAAH,

We wanted to check if you had a chance to review our last reply. Let us know if it helped or if you need more guidance—we're always happy to help further.
Thank you.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @ANKITWAAH,

As we have not received a response from you yet, I would like to confirm whether you have successfully resolved the issue or if you require further assistance.
Thank you.

[v-sgandrathi]

Hi @ANKITWAAH,

I wanted to follow up on our previous suggestions regarding the issue. We would love to hear back from you to ensure we can assist you further.

Thank you.

[burakkaragoz]

Hello @ANKITWAAH ,

Thank you for your question about Dataflow Gen1 and data refresh issues. This is a common point of confusion, and I can certainly provide some clarity on the process and how it relates to server space and data privacy.

The error "The data cannot be refreshed on the server" usually indicates a problem with the data source connection or the refresh process itself, not necessarily an issue with server space allocation. Here's what you should check:

1. Gateway Connection: If your data source is on-premises (e.g., a local SQL Server), you must have a data gateway set up and configured correctly. The gateway acts as a secure bridge between the Power BI Service and your data source. Make sure the gateway is running and the data source credentials are up to date.

2. Data Source Credentials: Double-check the credentials for your data source within the Power BI Service. Go to your Dataflow settings, select the data source, and ensure the login information is correct and has the necessary permissions. Sometimes a password change or a simple typo can cause this error.

3. Permissions: Ensure that the account used in the data source credentials has sufficient permissions to access the data. It's not enough to just have access; it needs to have the correct read rights to all the necessary tables and views.

Regarding your specific questions:

• Server Space and Refreshing: The 100GB of storage you mentioned is for the Power BI Premium capacity, which includes both your stored datasets and any dataflows you create. This space is used to store the transformed data after a successful refresh. The refresh process itself uses the capacity's processing power but does not usually fail due to a lack of storage space for the processing step. The error you're seeing is almost always related to connectivity or credentials, not the amount of space. You don't need to "activate" access to the server space; it's automatically part of your PPU license.

• Data Confidentiality: You can be confident that your data is private and secure. The Power BI service is designed with enterprise-level security. The server space is part of your dedicated Premium capacity, meaning your data is stored in your tenant's dedicated cloud environment. It is not public or visible to other users outside of your organization, unless you have specifically shared it with them. Microsoft takes data privacy and security very seriously, and your data remains confidential.

For further details on Dataflows and their requirements, you can refer to the official Microsoft documentation:

• Introduction to dataflows and self-service BI

• Troubleshooting the on-premises data gateway

If my response resolved your query, kindly mark it as the Accepted Solution to assist others. Additionally, I would be grateful for a 'Kudos' if you found my response helpful.

This response was assisted by AI for translation and formatting purposes.

[KNP]

Hey @burakkaragoz,

If they mark your answer as the solution, are you going to tell ChatGPT that it got it right?

And your disclaimer, seriously? It's not assisted by AI, it's a straight copy/paste.
"Good job ChatGPT, who's a good boy"

[KNP]

Hard to answer without seeing your query.
If you can give more details on your query we will be able to help.

The data is restricted to whoever YOU give access to. In that sense, there's no risk of exposing data.