Forum Discussion
Power BI Report Server Licensing
I plan to upgrade from SQL Server Standard 2008 to SQL Server Standard 2016 later this year. If I want to use Power BI Report Server do I have to buy a Power BI Premium license, or can I download and run Power BI Report Server alongside or as a replacement for SSRS based on the licenses I purchase for SQL Server Standard 2016
You have two options.
You can buy Power BI Premium, this allows you to license the same number of cores that you purchase in capacity in the premium license on premises for your Power BI Report Server.
You can purchase SQL Enterprise Edition + Software Assurance. This give you license to install the Power BI Report Server.
Only the Content Creators (those building reports) need to have a Power BI Pro license in both cases.
Alternatively, can I use Power BI Pro Service and publish content for consumers with the understanding each consumer must also have a Power BI Pro License? The Pro license gives you the ability to share content in the Power BI Service. You don't get the Power BI Report Server in this license. You are correct, report creators and end users need Pro licenses.
In this scenario, you would have a normal SSRS report server, and the Power BI Service. They would not communicate, and you couldn't put PBI Reports on the SSRS Server.
Thanks a lot for your answer, but I got more questions regarding this subject...
According to the PBI Premium White Paper, it is possible to have a local server (on-premisses) away from the cloud.
page 4/15, 2º paragraph, https://aka.ms/pbipremiumwhitepaper:
...we also included an on-premises server in Power BI Premium—the Power BI Report Server.
Power BI Report Server allows you to keep sensitive data and reports fully behind your firewall, creating a hybrid deployment mixing cloud and on-premises.
Is it possible to use Row Level Security (RLS) on this Report Server?
Using only Report Server, is it possible to view reports in a similar way as on PBI Service? (app.powerbi.com)
How do I share reports using only Report Server? (all users must have PRO licenses?)
What versions of SQL Server are compatible with this Report Server and Power BI?
Anonymous
Is it possible to use Row Level Security (RLS) on this Report Server? Yes
Using only Report Server, is it possible to view reports in a similar way as on PBI Service? (app.powerbi.com) Yes, you just don't get some of the Service features like Q&A, Quick Insights, etc. But it is a clean browser experiance.
How do I share reports using only Report Server? (all users must have PRO licenses?) All users are granted access to the report server itself, and log into it and see content that they have permissions to.
What versions of SQL Server are compatible with this Report Server and Power BI? If you are going to migrate to the PBIRS from RS then 2008 or later. Otherwise it since Tabular models are the only viable data source for the Power BI Reports, then it would be whatever version supports those.
More Details here
So, a more "how do I" question.
We installed PowerBI Report Server Evaluation. How do I apply the license to it (We have SQL Server Enterprise with SA)?
Do we need to install SQL Server Enterprise on the same server just for licensing?
csteinbergThis post should help you out.
Hello Anonymous I read the post you mentioned but didn't get clear answer.
My major concern right now is We have total 3 SQL Server Enterprise licenses. 2 of them are through MPN and 1 of them is through SA program. The SQL Server Enterprise + SA product key is being used for different department right now. But they don't use the Power BI report server available with their SA subscription.
My question is, as it is within the organization, can we use that Power BI report Server key avilable in SA subscription and install it on a server which has SQL Server Enterprise part of our MPN subscription.
Thanks in advance.
