External SQL server data refresh on Published Dashboard

[DSwezey]

I currently have a client where we pull data from a SQL server on their Intranet. When we are in our office we connect via a VPN to pull that data.

The issue I am having is if I am not connected to their VPN then the web dashboard fails to refresh. 

Obviously, when I am working on the Power BI file I am connected to the VPN to grab the data, but I do not want to have my computer on and connected to the VPN at all times for my client to be able to refresh the data on their dashboards.

[GilbertQ · Accepted solution]

Hi @DSwezey 

Yes if you want to connect to the SQL Server that is sitting behind a VPN then you need to have a gateway server that is either always connected to the VPN, or install the gateway on the SQL Server.

The only time you do not need a gateway is if you are using Azure SQL Databases.

[GilbertQ · Accepted solution]

Hi @DSwezey 

Yes if you want to connect to the SQL Server that is sitting behind a VPN then you need to have a gateway server that is either always connected to the VPN, or install the gateway on the SQL Server.

The only time you do not need a gateway is if you are using Azure SQL Databases.

[AlexisOlson]

Why do you need your computer in order to refresh the data?

The Power BI dataset should connect to their SQL server via a data gateway, right?

[DSwezey]

Correct, but the data gateway is currently setup on my physical laptop. Would they have to install an on-premis data gateway on their sql server machine?

[AlexisOlson · Accepted solution]

They need to install the data gateway on some machine that is expected to be consistently available, preferably a local one, but it doesn't have to necessarily be the same machine as the SQL server.