Auto-refresh for Power BI Custom Connector with Open API (Basic Auth)

[maredo]

Hi everyone,

I have built a custom connector for Power BI that connects to an Open API with Basic Authentication. The API is hosted on Azure App Service, and the connector works correctly when used in Power BI Desktop.

Now, I need to set up automatic refresh for Power BI reports that use this connector. I am unsure whether a Data Gateway is required in this case. Specifically, I have the following questions:

1. Is a Data Gateway necessary for enabling auto-refresh when using a custom connector with an API hosted on Azure App Service?
2. If a gateway is required, what is the best Azure resource to install it on?
3. Can the Data Gateway be installed on the same Azure App Service where the API is hosted, or does it need a separate virtual machine or another specific setup?

Any guidance on best practices or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Akash_Varuna · Accepted solution]

Hi @maredo To enable auto-refresh for Power BI a gaetway is needed for the questuions :

1. Gateway Requirement: A Data Gateway is necessary for auto-refresh with external APIs.
2. Best Resource: Install the gateway on an Azure Virtual Machine (VM), not the Azure App Service.
3. Setup: Use a Windows-based VM in the same region as the App Service for optimal performance. Configure the gateway in standard mode for Power BI integration.
   If this post helped please do give a kudos and accept this as a solution
   Thanks In Advance

[v-vpabbu]

Hi @maredo,

Thanks @Akash_Varuna for Addressing the issue.

we would like to follow up to see if the solution provided by the super user resolved your issue. Please let us know if you need any further assistance.
If our super user response resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accept as solution" and click "Yes" if you found it helpful.

Regards,
Vinay Pabbu

[Akash_Varuna · Accepted solution]

Hi @maredo To enable auto-refresh for Power BI a gaetway is needed for the questuions :

1. Gateway Requirement: A Data Gateway is necessary for auto-refresh with external APIs.
2. Best Resource: Install the gateway on an Azure Virtual Machine (VM), not the Azure App Service.
3. Setup: Use a Windows-based VM in the same region as the App Service for optimal performance. Configure the gateway in standard mode for Power BI integration.
   If this post helped please do give a kudos and accept this as a solution
   Thanks In Advance

[maredo]

Thank you @Akash_Varuna 

I have a few more questions to ensure the best setup:

1. What VM instance type would be a good trade-off between cost and performance for running the Data Gateway efficiently?
2. Since the gateway will serve multiple users with different credentials, would a single gateway instance on a VM be sufficient, or should I consider deploying multiple gateways across different VM instances?

[Akash_Varuna · Accepted solution]

Hi @maredo  A single gateway instance on a VM is typically sufficient for handling multiple users and different credentials But if users spike then consider clustering multiple gateways on different VM
For the VM please check this discussion in reddit : https://www.reddit.com/r/AZURE/comments/n65hdu/d2s_v3_vs_d2s_v4_temporary_storage_vs_not/?rdt=35717