Choosing the right solution based on your needs and available resources will ensure that PowerBI dashboards are displayed securely and efficiently across different platforms.
To effectively integrate and manage PowerBI content for secure and efficient display on screens, consider the following solutions and detailed breakdown:
Solution 1: Secure Access on Windows PCs
This solution is designed for organizations primarily using Windows PCs, allowing them to securely display Power BI content hosted on SharePoint. The focus is on maintaining secure access while utilizing existing infrastructure.
Context:
If your organization uses Windows PCs, it's essential to ensure that these devices can access and display Power BI content stored on SharePoint securely and efficiently.
Steps to Implement:
Domain Manager Role:
Access Rights: The domain manager (typically an IT administrator) must grant the necessary access permissions to the PC so that it can connect to SharePoint.
Permissions: Make sure the PC has the required SharePoint permissions to access the Power BI content. This usually involves granting read-only or restricted access to the user or service account used by the PC.
Authentication Setup:
Auto-Login Configuration: Set up the Windows PC to automatically log in using a specific Windows account that has permission to access the Power BI content. This ensures uninterrupted access, especially in scenarios where dashboards need to be displayed consistently.
Credential Manager: Use Windows Credential Manager to securely store and manage credentials for accessing SharePoint. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access and simplifies the login process for the system.
Advantages:
Seamless Integration: Utilizing existing Windows infrastructure makes this solution cost-effective and easy to manage.
User-Friendly: Once configured, users can access the Power BI dashboards without needing to manually authenticate every time.
Future Developments:
Navori's New Workflow (September 2024): Navori will release a new backend workflow that will capture real-time screenshots of Power BI content and insert them into a server feed that works with all Navori digital signage platforms. This will allow for displaying Power BI content on non-Windows platforms more efficiently, without the need for API integration or manual management.
Solution 2: Optimizing Power BI Screenshot Generation with Local System Resources
Navori developed a method to efficiently generate Power BI screenshots by utilizing the local system’s CPU/GPU. Instead of relying on external processing, the reports are rendered locally, enabling faster and optimized screenshot generation. This approach works with both Power BI Pro and PPU licenses, supporting various report types while reducing server overhead.
However, there are some limitations: manual dataset refreshes are required for report updates, and only one tile can be displayed per dashboard, with potential delays for large datasets.
Solution 3: Browserless.io Integration (Third-Party Solution)
Browserless.io is a third-party tool that enhances Power BI content display by bypassing some of the limitations of Microsoft's Power BI API. This solution is ideal for organizations using Power BI Pro or Power BI Premium Per User (PPU) licenses but doesn’t want to upgrade to more expensive licenses.
Context:
Due to restrictions in Power BI API access, particularly in terms of embedding content and paginated reports, Browserless.io provides a workaround. This tool renders Power BI dashboards without requiring users to upgrade to more expensive capacity-based licensing models.
Steps to Implement:
Integration via Browserless.io:
API Integration: Browserless.io allows you to automate and interact with Power BI dashboards, reports, and other web-based content without having to use Power BI’s embedding API, which is limited under the Pro and PPU licenses.
Seamless Display: You can integrate Browserless.io into your existing digital signage or content management systems (CMS) to display Power BI dashboards.
Key Benefits:
Cost-Effective: Works with Pro and PPU licenses, avoiding costly upgrades to Power BI Premium Capacity.
Supports Multiple Content Types: You can display Power BI Reports, Paginated Reports, and Dashboards on various platforms.
Optimized Resource Usage: It helps reduce the server overhead compared to Power BI’s native API, which can be resource-intensive.
Limitations:
Report Modifications: Any changes made to a report’s pinned dataset (Semantic Model) require a manual refresh of the dataset to capture a new snapshot. Failure to refresh can result in outdated data being displayed.
Dashboard Limitations: Only one tile or report can be displayed per dashboard.
Screenshot Delay: Browserless.io captures the Power BI content via screenshots, which may take time, especially with large datasets.
First-Time Feed Creation: When you create a new feed, the default Navori logo will be shown until Power BI content is captured.
My Workspace Exclusion: Browserless.io does not support reports stored in the Power BI “My Workspace.”
Auto-Refresh: Feeds refresh automatically every 15 minutes, which may not be frequent enough for real-time dashboards.
File Size Restrictions: Larger Power BI files may generate error logs if they exceed Browserless.io’s file size limits.
Microsoft and Browserless.io Limitations:
Paginated Reports: Pro licenses do not support paginated reports, and PPU licenses are limited to one API call every five minutes.
Embed Tokens: Pro and PPU licenses are limited in generating embed tokens. Only capacity-based licensing offers unlimited tokens.
Rate Limits: Browserless.io limits the number of API requests you can make based on your plan. Exceeding these limits may result in downtime or delayed content updates.
Concurrent Sessions: Browserless.io has a limit on the number of concurrent browser sessions, which may slow down performance if multiple users access the reports at once.
To ensure proper functionality of Browserless.io, you need to whitelist the following URL in your on-premises network:
Whitelist this URL: https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/dist/powerbi.min.js
Solution 4: Power BI with Fabric Capacity
For larger enterprises with extensive Power BI needs, purchasing a Fabric Capacity license provides more API flexibility and fewer restrictions. This solution is best suited for organizations with complex reporting needs and large-scale Power BI deployments.
Context:
If you have a Fabric Capacity license, you gain access to enhanced Power BI functionality, including full API support and unlimited embed tokens. This solution is ideal for businesses requiring more comprehensive Power BI features, such as large workspaces, extensive embedding capabilities, and heavy usage.
Key Benefits:
Unlimited Embed Tokens: Fabric Capacity allows you to generate unlimited embed tokens, eliminating the restrictions seen with Pro and PPU licenses.
Paginated Reports: No API call limitations exist for paginated reports, providing full support for these reports regardless of dataset size.
Steps to Implement:
Upgrade to Fabric Capacity: Purchase the appropriate Fabric Capacity license (e.g., F2, F4, F64) based on your organization’s needs. This will unlock full Power BI API functionalities and remove many of the restrictions seen in lower-tier licenses.
Integration with Power BI APIs: Once you have a Fabric Capacity license, you can integrate Power BI dashboards into your systems using the native Power BI APIs without limitations on embed tokens, paginated reports, or concurrent users.
Dashboard Display: Configure the system to display Power BI reports and dashboards on the desired screens, similar to Solutions 1 and 2.
Limitations:
Dashboard Tile Limit: Like the other solutions, Fabric Capacity supports only one tile or report per dashboard.
Dataset Refresh Requirement: If you make any changes to the pinned dataset in a report (Semantic Model), you must manually refresh the dataset to capture these updates in the snapshot.
Screenshot Delays: There may still be a delay in generating screenshots of large reports.
First-Time Feed Creation: When you create a new feed, the default Navori logo will be shown until Power BI content is captured.
Auto-Refresh Intervals: Like the other solutions, feeds refresh automatically every 15 minutes by default. This setting can be modified based on your needs.
File Size Errors: Large datasets or reports may result in error logs if they exceed Power BI or Navori’s snapshot size limitations.
Fabric Capacity Licensing Considerations:
F2 License Limitations: The entry-level F2 Fabric Capacity license provides limited resources (2 vCores and 4GB RAM) and may not be sufficient for managing large workspaces or complex reports. You may need a higher capacity license depending on your usage.
Capacity Selection: Microsoft offers a free trial with F64 capacity, allowing you to evaluate your organization’s needs before committing to a specific license level.
Resources:
Capacity Management: Manage Power BI capacities by monitoring usage and adjusting license types as needed.
License Types: Explore the different Fabric Capacity licenses to select the one that fits your requirements.
Power BI Premium Changes: Be aware of the upcoming retirement of Premium Per Capacity licenses and the switch to Fabric Capacity.
Capacity Management: Managing Power BI Capacity
License Types and Sharing: Fabric License Types
Retiring Premium Per Capacity: Power BI Premium Licensing Update
Premium vs. Premium Per User: Comparison
Premium Service Overview: Power BI Premium