On-prem Report Server and Pro Accounts

[Anonymous]

We purchased SQL Server to get Power BI Report Server for an on-premises only solution.

We purchased Power BI Pro subscriptions for report designers/authors.

We setup users in Power BI Report Server using AD accounts.

The AD accounts are different from the Pro subscription accounts.

How is PBI Report Server going to know to allow a user to save a report from their Desktop app to the server if the accounts are different?

[jcollinson2001]

I don't believe there is actually anythin that checks the accounts/licenses - you could publish a report to Report Server without a pro account at all if you choose. Of course this would be in breach of the licensing terms and I suggest NOT doing this. Microsoft trust you to have the correct licenses in place.

[JanV]

Where can we find the licensing terms that state one would require a PRO license for every users that publishes content to the report server?

Does this mean Report Server roles should match Pro license holders somehow, e.g. non-pro users should only be assigned a report browser role?

[jcollinson2001]

I've taken this from the EULA, which can be found within the installation directory after the product has been installed:

The following license terms describe additional use terms for this software.

Power BI Report Server – Sharing Content

A Power BI Pro User SL is required to publish shared Power BI reports using the Power BI Report Server.　

Your proposed configuration of roles/permissions makes sense, especially if you want to ensure you are abiding by the licence terms.

[Anonymous]

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@jcollinson2001 wrote:

I've taken this from the EULA, which can be found within the installation directory after the product has been installed:

The following license terms describe additional use terms for this software.

Power BI Report Server – Sharing Content

A Power BI Pro User SL is required to publish shared Power BI reports using the Power BI Report Server.　

Your proposed configuration of roles/permissions makes sense, especially if you want to ensure you are abiding by the licence terms.

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I couldn't figure out how to highlight the text I want to refer to, so I changed the color.

That's what my question is about: how is it "required?" Is it functionally required? Will users not be able to reach the server if they do not have a Pro license? Does Desktop check for a Pro subscription?

Thanks.

[JanV · Accepted solution]

hi @Anonymous. I can confirm there is no built in functionality that prevents non-licensed users to save reports to the Report Server . Thus anyone can just use PowerBI Desktop for report server and save/publish to the report server if granted appropriate roles (A report browser won't be able to publish reports) within report server environment(managed completely seperate from Pro licenses). However it is a licensing requirement from Microsoft, thus you would breach the EULA which obviously you shouldn't.

I'm trying to find out the specifics here on where the line is between what behaviour would require a pro license and what behaviou wouldn't. e.g. is publishing in a folder on the report server but not sharing with others considered as "publishing shared PowerBI reports". How about working with "My Folder" (similar to PowerBI Service "My Workspace"). And what about admins who appear to have access to all published reports, is this considered sharing with others?

[Anonymous]

Thank you everyone for bringing this to the surface.  I am now wondering this as well.  As the poster showed in the EULA, it sounds like any employee publishing reports to an on-prem PBI ReportServer would need a Pro license.   Other than trying to drive business to their cloud offerings. I am not sure why we would need to have Power BI Pro license to publish reports to our own PBI ReportServer.  Does this requirement also incude paginated "SSRS" reports since the PBI ReportServer supports both?  How many on-prem users are in breach of license? 

[JanV]

Ok going deeper on the topic:

Given phrasing "Power BI Report Server – Sharing Content", would it be possible to publish something that is not shared to the PowerBI Report server?

 - Working within the My Reports folder (which is a personal workspace) seems very similar to the online version of my workspace which does not require a PRO license.

 - Since admins always have access to all published reports, does this count as sharing?

[jcollinson2001]

Good questions and I'm afraid I don't have the answer to those, the EULA is remarkably short and concise and as you've highlighted leaves a lot that is open to intepretation. I'd suggest contacting Microsoft for clarification in this instance...

Sorry I could not be of more help.

[JanV]

No problem at all, thx already for the support.

Given involvement in a related post (not fully solved/answered), trying to pick up this topic with @v-qiuyu-msft again to see if we can get some more clarification. Would be more than helpful in determining what set-up would best suit specific client needs while taking into account related costs.