New database server / Adjust connection in On-Premise gateway

[opFBU]

Hi all,

we are running an On-premise gateway to update the data in Power BI reports every morning. At the moment we are working on a migration of our database from one server to another and I was guessing, that we can just adjust the database connection within the gateway, but that's not possible. There are only options to add or delete a connection.

If I add a new connection to the new database server, I would need to adjust every single report to the new connection and I have no idea how much time this will cost.

I was thinking of renaming the old connection to something else and adding a new connection with the old name but the new server - Will the report then take the new connection or do I have to adjust the reports to the new connection also?

Any other hints how to migrate gateway connections from one database server to another?

Thanks!

[GilbertQ · Accepted solution]

Hi there

What I have done in the past is to parameterize my SQL Server database connection and database name.

This then allows me to create 2 data sources in my Gateway. One to the Old Server and one to the New Server.

When I change the parameters, I then go into the dataset and change the data source from the Gateway drop down.

Then there is no need for me to even update the existing PBIX

Here are the details: https://www.fourmoo.com/2018/03/27/using-the-power-bi-service-parameters-to-change-connection-string...

[ibarrau]

Hi. This is very interesting. I think it might work. You have to be sure that the new server will have the exact same name, credentiales for the instance and database. It has to match what Power Bi Desktop reports are using. If you open a Power Bi Desktop and click refresh it should refresh. If you have to change one thing in there, then it won't work in service with gateway.

If this doesn't work I'm sorry but you will have to change all Power Bi Desktop files and the configuration in Power Bi Service for the Gateway.

Hope this works. Let us know if you were able to change the old one name and use the exact same properties for the new server. I hope you have use instance name and not ip, it might be easier to test like that.

Regards,