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.
Sorry but I have an edge case kind of question here.
We are using PBI-SSRS through our SQL EE with SA license.
Under SSRS we used to role out SSRS Farms (two or three SSRS front ends with a single backend/DB server) this seems like an approach that might be even more relevant when serving up PBIX files with a ton of imported content.
How is this addressed in the license docs? I have had a very quick scan and can't seem to see find it (that may well be me being a bit thick)
many thanks
Steve
This pricing is insane. Without SA, we're looking at a minimum of $5k per month just to get licensing for an updated variation of SSRS? Yeah, I'll pass.
Power BI Report Server, although built on SSRS's on-premises server platform, is a distinct product that targets enterprise customers. Power BI Premium includes much more than Report Server -- namely, dedicated capacity in the Power BI cloud service. Similarly, Software Assurance includes many more benefits beyond Report Server; most of our enterprise customers already have it, while those who don't should definitely check out the benefits.
Our customer has the active SA of SQL server Enterprise edition with the server+CAL license model. Does he have the right to run Power BI report server on a licenced server and does he find the licence keys for Power BI report server in the Volume licencing Service Center or is Power BI report server a benefit only for the per core license model ?
You can of course get "new" versions of just SSRS with SQL2016 and 2017. If you don't need the on premise PBI capability you can use the cloud based service alongside these.
Power BI Premium has relative new EM-sized SKU's which doesn't allow for the entire Power BI-service but allows for embedding (not embedded) reports in Sharepoint Online and Teams but not use the app deployment model. They cost significanlty less than the P-sku's. Does anyone know if Report Server is included with the EM sized Premium sku's?
Only the P- SKUs include the Report Server use right; the EM- SKUs don't.
