Refresh data from SQL instance on Azure VM without gateway

[MrMarshall]

When using the SQL connector in Power BI towards a SQL-server instance installed on a Azure VM.

Is it possible to refresh data without a Power BI Gateway installed on that server? Just like it works if I would get data from a Azure SQL database.

I mean, it's still within Azure? 

[v-diye-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @MrMarshall 

You are connecting to a SQL Server that hosted in Azure VM but not Azure SQL database in Power BI Desktop. For the former, gateway is required, you can install gateway on the same machine with Power BI Desktop, then add SQL Server data source within the gateway. Otherwise, you are not able to view the published report in Power BI Service.

For Azure SQL database, gateway is not required.

[ibarrau]

Hi. I don't think so. Yes it is in azure, but that doesn't mean you don't need the gateway. First it's an SQL Server instance installed in windows 10. That kind of database need the gateway, the other azure database won't because they are services without an OS and environment. Another thing is that those that can be directly connected have a different connector.

Regards,

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