Why the Change?
In March 2024, Microsoft announced that Power BI Premium SKUs would be phased out in favor of Microsoft Fabric SKUs. This change has sparked a lot of questions and, understandably, some anxiety. The core reason behind this move is the consolidation of purchasing options. Having both SKUs available has led to confusion, and now that Microsoft Fabric is generally available, it’s time to focus solely on those SKU types.
Power BI Premium capacities are purchased through a Microsoft 365 perspective, while Microsoft Fabric capacities are purchased from an Azure perspective. This shift alters how you manage your budget and gives you access to various Azure resources and features that were previously unavailable with Power BI Premium.
What Happens If You Want to Stick with Power BI?
You might be thinking, “Are you forcing me to use Fabric?” The answer is no! If you want to continue using Power BI, you can absolutely do that with a Microsoft Fabric SKU. Just keep the Fabric items turned off, and everything remains the same from an end-user perspective.
New Customers vs. Existing Customers
Let’s break it down for different types of customers:
- New Customers: If you’re new and want to buy capacity after July 1, 2024, your only option will be Microsoft Fabric capacity.
- Existing Customers: You can renew your Power BI Premium capacity until February 1, 2025. After that, if you need to renew, you’ll have to switch to Fabric capacity.
- Enterprise Agreement Customers: You can continue to renew Power BI Premium until the end of your agreement. However, once that agreement ends, you’ll need to migrate to Microsoft Fabric capacities.
What If You’re Using a Sovereign Cloud?
If you’re on a sovereign cloud, such as GCC or DoD in the U.S., you can keep using Power BI Premium for now since Fabric is not yet available in those environments. Just keep doing what you’re doing!
How to Migrate: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to migrate your capacity. We’re going to look at a few scenarios and also some important settings you need to be aware of.
Step 1: Check Your Home Region
First, check if your capacity is in your home region. You can do this easily by going to the “About Power BI” section. This is crucial because you need to ensure that your Fabric capacity is in the same region as your Power BI Premium capacity.
Step 2: Changing to Fabric Capacity
To change your capacity, go to your workspace settings. If you have Fabric capacities available, you can select one to switch your workspace from Premium to Fabric capacity. Ensure that the capacities are in the same region to avoid complications.
Step 3: Consider Your Semantic Model Storage Format
A caveat to note: if your workspace is using a large semantic model storage format, this could block your migration. You may need to change it back to small or republish your models.
What If You Have Fabric Items in Your Workspace?
If your workspace contains Fabric items, the migration process becomes a bit more complex. You cannot move workspaces with Fabric items across different regions without taking some actions.
The guideline is to delete all Fabric items first, move the workspace to the Fabric capacity, and then recreate the Fabric items. Although this isn’t ideal, utilizing Git integration can speed up the process.
Automation and Tools for Migration
There’s also potential for automation in your migration process. Microsoft has provided a notebook that can help streamline the transition by calling REST APIs. This tool will require that you have Fabric items enabled to use it, but it can significantly ease the burden of migration.
FAQs on Migration
Here are some common questions that might help clarify your migration process:
- Will I have to pay for both P-SKU and F-SKU during the transition? No. If your Power BI Premium subscription expires, you have 90 days to access your data while migrating.
- What happens to my Fabric and Power BI items once I cancel my Premium capacity? You can access your items for 90 days after cancellation. During this time, migrate your workspaces without losing access.
- Can I move a workspace from one capacity to a capacity in a different region? You cannot move a workspace with Fabric items to a new region unless you delete those items first.
Conclusion
As we move forward with the migration from Power BI Premium to Microsoft Fabric, it’s essential to plan your transition carefully. Whether you’re a new customer or an existing one, understanding your options and the steps involved can make this process smoother. Keep your eyes on the resources available and prepare for an exciting new chapter in your analytics journey!
For more information on this transition and to boost your data skills, consider checking out expert-led Power BI training.
