Forum Discussion

johnmelbourne's avatar
johnmelbourne
Helper V
6 years ago

Connect to off-premises external vendor SQL database

Hi,

We have an external vendor providing a database solution and I want to connect to it via Power BI. Can someone direct me to some resources as I am having issues and most help refers to connecting to a SQL server on premises. 

The external vendor has installed an on-premises gateway, and that gateway is now enabled in my Power Bi service account.  

 

How do I connect to it?  I have the server name, database name and database login credentials. Now I just need to connect a report (either from the service or from desktop) to the data source.

 

Any ideas how this is done?

 

On reflection, I think what I need to do is get the external vendor to connect locally within its domain, then save a pbix, send it to me for upload to the service, then it may use the gateway to connect, and I can connect to the service datasource. Would that work?

 

 

 

Thanks

John

 

Need Help

7 Replies

  • lbendlin's avatar
    lbendlin
    Super User
    6 years ago

    how are you accessing that database now from your Power BI desktop?  Do you have a VPN tunnel into the vendor?

    • johnmelbourne's avatar
      johnmelbourne
      Helper V
      6 years ago

      We are not accessing the vendors database at the moment at all. They send files / make files available for download.

      I am guessing if they connect locally within their domain to the database, then send me the .pbix file via email, then I upload to the service, it will use the gateway to access the database referenced in the .pbix.

       

      Do you think that will work?

       

      • lbendlin's avatar
        lbendlin
        Super User
        6 years ago

        This will leave you flying blind, and rather sooner than later will become a maintenance nightmare. I would try to find alternative arrangements.