Forum Discussion
PBI Service: AS400 Server with folder connector doesn't work with SMB
I have an AS400 server, whose database is accessible through ODBC. But I need to access it through SMB.
Credentials are working both in CMD and PBI Desktop, but not in PBI Service throwing wrong credentials errors.
How can I Fix?
Regards
Hi mpros ,
Even though credentials work in Power BI Desktop,Power BI Service fails because it runs in the cloud and relies on the On-Premises Data Gateway to access SMB shares.
To fix this:
As you already Installed the Gateway on a machine that can access the AS400 shared folder.Run the Gateway Service under a Windows account that has access to the SMB share (not the default system account).Configure the data source in Power BI Service using the UNC path (\\AS400Server\SharedFolder) and matching credentials.Test access from the gateway machine using net use to confirm connectivity.
This ensures Power BI Service can authenticate and access the AS400 folder via the gateway.Thank you.
8 Replies
Hi mpros
The recommended approach would be to install a Power BI Gateway server, configure your ODBC driver on the Power BI Gateway server, and then connect to the gateway server via the Power BI service to refresh your data successfully. Power BI gateway and Report Builder support for ODBC data sources - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Dear GilbertQ
as mentioned in the message, I was able to connect through ODBC, but I need SMB as the data I need to work on is there:- ODBC (Open Database Connectivity): This is an interface for accessing structured data (e.g., DB2 tables on AS/400), not system files. It's used for SQL queries, not for browsing folders or files.
- SMB (Server Message Block): This is a file-sharing protocol used by Windows to access shared folders on other systems.
Regards,
M
Hi mpros ,
Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Fabric Community.
Thank you GilbertQ for the prompt response.
Since you are trying to access files on an AS400 server using SMB (shared folder), here's a straightforward way to make it work with Power BI Service:
Install an On-Premises Data Gateway on a Windows machine that can access the AS400 shared folder.Make sure the folder is reachable from that machine using a path like \\AS400Server\SharedFolder.In Power BI Desktop, use the Folder connector to connect to that path.Publish your report to Power BI Service.In Power BI Service, configure the gateway to use the same folder path and credentials.
This setup lets Power BI Service access the AS400 files through the gateway, even though it doesn’t support SMB directly.Thank you.
Dear v-venuppu ,
That's exacly what I did, but when I try to enter same credential in PBI Service it throws an error. Is just with the service the problem. Meanwhile I produced a Powershell Script to move flat files in a Windows Server and using Folder Connect on that destination, but would like to query directly the AS400 one.
Regards,
MarcoHi mpros ,
Even though credentials work in Power BI Desktop,Power BI Service fails because it runs in the cloud and relies on the On-Premises Data Gateway to access SMB shares.
To fix this:
As you already Installed the Gateway on a machine that can access the AS400 shared folder.Run the Gateway Service under a Windows account that has access to the SMB share (not the default system account).Configure the data source in Power BI Service using the UNC path (\\AS400Server\SharedFolder) and matching credentials.Test access from the gateway machine using net use to confirm connectivity.
This ensures Power BI Service can authenticate and access the AS400 folder via the gateway.Thank you.
