Slow connection from Amazon Redshift to Power BI Pro

Hi! This is a fairly common challenge when connecting Redshift to Power BI Pro. Here are a few things that can make a big difference:

1. Use DirectQuery vs Import Mode wisely If you're using DirectQuery, switch to Import Mode where possible. Import Mode loads data into Power BI's in-memory engine (VertiPaq), which is significantly faster for most use cases.

2. Optimize your Redshift queries

• Use materialized views or pre-aggregated tables instead of querying raw large tables.
• Avoid SELECT * — only pull the columns you actually need.
• Apply filters at the source level to reduce data volume.

3. Use Distribution & Sort Keys in Redshift Make sure your Redshift tables have proper distribution keys and sort keys aligned with how Power BI queries them. This dramatically reduces query execution time.

4. Use the Official ODBC/JDBC Driver Ensure you're using the latest Amazon Redshift ODBC driver. Outdated drivers can cause connection delays.

5. Enable Query Folding When using Power Query, ensure query folding is working so transformations are pushed back to Redshift rather than processed locally.

6. Check Network Latency If your Redshift cluster is in a different AWS region than your location or Power BI gateway, latency can be a major factor. Consider using an on-premises data gateway closer to the cluster.

7. Use a Power BI Gateway For scheduled refreshes, an on-premises data gateway can stabilize and speed up connections considerably.