Power BI Connector for Azure Data Factory (SSIS)

Connect to your Power BI account and retrieve data, refresh datasets, etc.
You can use this connector to integrate Power BI data inside SSIS and SQL Server. Let's take a look at the steps below to see how exactly to accomplish that.

Download Documentation

Create SSIS package

First of all, create an SSIS package, which will connect to Power BI in SSIS. Once you do that, you are one step closer to deploying and running it in Azure-SSIS integration runtime in Azure Data Factory (ADF). Then simply proceed to the next step - creating and configuring Azure Blob Storage Container.

Prepare custom setup files for Azure-SSIS runtime

Now it's time to start preparing custom setup files for Azure-SSIS runtime. During Azure-SSIS runtime creation you can instruct ADF to perform a custom setup on a VM (Azure-SSIS node); i.e. to run the custom installer, copy files, execute PowerShell scripts, etc. In that case, your custom setup files are downloaded and run in the Azure-SSIS node (a VM) when you start the runtime. In this section we will prepare custom setup files so that you can run SSIS packages with SSIS PowerPack connectors inside in Azure-SSIS runtime.

Read more on Azure-SSIS runtime custom setup in Microsoft Azure Data Factory reference.

Trial Users

Use the step below if you are a Trial User, when you did not purchase a license key. Proceed with these steps:

  1. Download SSIS PowerPack trial installer.
    Make sure you don't rename the installer and keep it named as SSISPowerPackSetup_64bit_Trial.msi.
  2. Create a text file and name it main.cmd (make it all lowercase, very important).
  3. Copy and paste this script into it and save it:
    set DIR=%CUSTOM_SETUP_SCRIPT_LOG_DIR%
    
    echo Calling Step 1 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    dir /s /b > "%DIR%\file_list.txt"
    
    echo Calling Step 2 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    
    ::Install SSIS PowerPack
    msiexec /i  "SSISPowerPackSetup_64bit_Trial.msi" ADDLOCAL=ALL /q  /L*V "%DIR%\powerpack_trial_install_log.txt"
    
    echo Calling Step 3 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    dir "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\*Zappy*.*"  /s /b >> "%DIR%\installed_files.txt"
    dir "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\*Zappy*.*"  /s /b >> "%DIR%\installed_files.txt"
    
    echo DONE : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    
    echo complete
    This is the entry-point script that is executed when Azure-SSIS runtime is started.
  4. At last! You are ready to upload these two files — main.cmd & SSISPowerPackSetup_64bit_Trial.msi — into your Azure Blob Storage container's folder, which we will do in the Upload custom setup files to Azure Blob Storage container step.

Paid Customers

Use the steps below if you are a Paid Customer, when you purchased a license. Proceed with these steps:

  1. Download SSIS PowerPack paid installer.
    Make sure you don't rename the installer and keep it named as SSISPowerPackSetup_64bit.msi.
  2. Have your SSIS PowerPack license key handy, we will need it in the below script.
  3. Create a text file and name it main.cmd (make it all lowercase, very important).
  4. Copy and paste the below script into it.
  5. Paste your license key by replacing parameter's --register argument with your real license key.
  6. Finally, save main.cmd:
    set DIR=%CUSTOM_SETUP_SCRIPT_LOG_DIR%
    
    echo Calling Step 1 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    dir /s /b > "%DIR%\file_list.txt"
    
    echo Calling Step 2 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    
    ::Install SSIS PowerPack
    msiexec /i  "SSISPowerPackSetup_64bit.msi" ADDLOCAL=ALL /q  /L*V "%DIR%\powerpack_install_log.txt"
    
    echo Calling Step 3 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    
    ::Activate PowerPack license (Optional)
    "C:\Program Files (x86)\ZappySys\SSIS PowerPack (64 bit)\LicenseManager.exe" -p SSISPowerPack --register "lgGAAO0-----REPLACE-WITH-YOUR-LICENSE-KEY-----czM=" --logfile "%DIR%\powerpack_register_log.txt"
    
    ::Show System Info
    echo Calling Step 4 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    "C:\Program Files (x86)\ZappySys\SSIS PowerPack (64 bit)\LicenseManager.exe" -i -l "%DIR%\sysinfo_log.txt"
    
    echo Calling Step 5 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    dir "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\*Zappy*.*"  /s /b >> "%DIR%\installed_files.txt"
    dir "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\*Zappy*.*"  /s /b >> "%DIR%\installed_files.txt"
    
    echo DONE : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    
    echo complete
    This is the entry-point script that is executed when Azure-SSIS runtime is started.
  7. At last! You are ready to upload these two files — main.cmd & SSISPowerPackSetup_64bit.msi — into your Azure Blob Storage container's folder, which we will do in the Upload custom setup files to Azure Blob Storage container step.

Upload custom setup files to Azure Blob Storage container

Within Azure Blob Storage container we will store custom setup files we prepared in the previous step so that Azure-SSIS can use them in custom setup process. Just perform these very simple, but very important steps:

  1. Create Azure Blob Storage container, if you haven't done it already
    Make sure you create and use Azure Blob Storage container instead of Azure Data Lake Storage folder. Azure Data Lake Storage won't allow creating an SAS URI for the container, which is a crucial step in the process.
  2. Find Blob Containers node, right-click on it and hit Create Blob Container option: Create a new blob container in Azure Storage Explorer
  3. Upload the two custom setup files — main.cmd & the MSI installer — into your Azure Blob Storage container's folder: Upload SSIS Custom Setup Files to Azure Data Factory
  4. It was easy, wasn't it? It's time we create an SAS URI in the next step.

Create SAS URI for Azure Blob Container

Once you have custom setup files prepared, it's time we generate an SAS URI. This SAS URI will be used by a new Azure-SSIS runtime to install SSIS PowerPack inside the runtime's node, a VM. Let's proceed together by performing the steps below:

  1. Install and launch Azure Storage Explorer.
  2. Right-click on the Storage Accounts node and then hit Connect to Azure storage... menu item: Add Azure Storage account to Azure Storage Explorer
  3. Proceed by right-clicking on that container node and select Get Shared Access Signature... option.
  4. Next, set the Expiry time field to a date far in the future.
    If you restart Azure-SSIS runtime and your SAS URI is expired by that time, it will not start.
  5. Select Read, Create, Write, and List permissions: Generate SAS URI in Azure Storage Explorer for Azure Data Factory Custom Setup
    We also recommend to add Delete permission too to support future functionality.
  6. Copy SAS URL to the clipboard and save it for the next step: Get container SAS URI for Azure Data Factory SSIS Custom Setup You can also generate and copy SAS URL from within Azure Portal itself: Generate SAS URI in Azure Data Factory Custom Setup via online portal

Create Azure-SSIS integration runtime

Once you have the SAS URL we obtained in the previous step, we are ready to move on to create an Azure-SSIS runtime in Azure Data Factory:

  1. Firstly, perform the steps described in Create an Azure-SSIS integration runtime article in Azure Data Factory reference.
  2. In Advanced settings page section, configure Custom setup container SAS URI you obtained in the previous step: Configure SAS URI in Azure Data Factory custom setup
  3. And you are done! That was quick! You can see your Azure-SSIS runtime up and running: Verify Azure-SSIS runtime status in Azure Data Factory portal

The custom setup script is executed only once — at the time an Azure-SSIS runtime is started.

It is also executed if you stop and start Azure-SSIS runtime again.

Deploy SSIS package in Visual Studio

We are ready to deploy the SSIS package to Azure-SSIS runtime. Once you do that, proceed to the next step for the grand finale! Deploy SSIS package to Azure Data Factory from Visual Studio

Execute SSIS package in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

After all hard work, we are ready to execute SSIS package in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS):

  1. Connect to the SQL Server which is linked to your Azure-SSIS runtime and contains SSISDB database.
  2. Navigate to Integration Services Catalog » Your Folder » Your Project » Your Package, right-click on it, and hit Execute...: Execute SSIS package using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
  3. To view the status of the past execution, navigate to Integration Services Catalog » Your Folder » Your Project » Your Package, right-click on it, and select Reports » Standard Reports » All Executions menu item: Monitor SSIS package execution using SSMS UI

Scenarios

Moving SSIS PowerPack license to another Azure-SSIS runtime

If you are a Paid Customer, there will be a time when you no longer use Azure-SSIS runtime or you need to use your license on a different ADF instance. To transfer a license from one Azure-SSIS runtime to another, perform these steps:

  1. Copy & paste this script into main.cmd we used in the previous step:
    set DIR=%CUSTOM_SETUP_SCRIPT_LOG_DIR%
    
    echo Calling Step 1 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    dir /s /b > "%DIR%\file_list.txt"
     
    echo Calling Step 2 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    
    ::Install SSIS PowerPack
    msiexec /i  "SSISPowerPackSetup_64bit.msi" ADDLOCAL=ALL /q  /L*V "%DIR%\powerpack_install_log.txt"
     
    echo Calling Step 3 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
     
    ::De-Activate same license
    "C:\Program Files (x86)\ZappySys\SSIS PowerPack (64 bit)\LicenseManager.exe" -p SSISPowerPack --unregister --logfile "%DIR%\powerpack_un_register_log.txt"
     
    ::Show System Info
    echo Calling Step 4 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    "C:\Program Files (x86)\ZappySys\SSIS PowerPack (64 bit)\LicenseManager.exe" -i -l "%DIR%\sysinfo_log.txt"
     
    echo Calling Step 5 : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
    dir "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\*Zappy*.*"  /s /b >> "%DIR%\installed_files.txt"
    dir "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\*Zappy*.*"  /s /b >> "%DIR%\installed_files.txt"
     
    echo DONE : %TIME% >> "%DIR%\steps_log.txt"
     
    echo complete
  2. Start Azure-SSIS runtime.
    This will unregister your license on the original Azure-SSIS runtime.
  3. Stop Azure-SSIS runtime to deallocate resources in Azure.
  4. Now you are free to activate it on another Azure-SSIS runtime.

Advanced topics

Actions supported by Power BI Connector

Power BI Connector support following actions for REST API integration. If some actions are not listed below then you can easily edit Connector file and enhance out of the box functionality.
 Get Workspaces
Get all user's Workspaces.    [Read more...]
 Get a Workspace
Get a Workspace by ID.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
Id
 Get Datasets
Get Datasets from default or specified Workspace. If WorkspaceId parameter is not supplied, default Workspace will be used.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
WorkspaceId
 Get a Dataset
Get a Dataset by ID.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
Id
WorkspaceId
 Create a Push Dataset
Creates a Push Dataset with Tables.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
Definition JSON describing the created Dataset and its Tables
Option Value
Example { "name": "SalesMarketing", "defaultMode": "Push", "tables": [ { "name": "Product", "columns": [ { "name": "ProductID", "dataType": "Int64" }, { "name": "Name", "dataType": "string" }, { "name": "Category", "dataType": "string" }, { "name": "IsComplete", "dataType": "bool" }, { "name": "ManufacturedOn", "dataType": "DateTime" }, { "name": "Sales", "dataType": "Double", "formatString": "Currency" } ] } ] }
WorkspaceId
Option Value
Default
 Delete a Dataset
Delete a Dataset by ID.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
Id
WorkspaceId
Option Value
Default
 Refresh a Dataset
Refreshes a Dataset by ID.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
Id
WorkspaceId
Option Value
Default
 Get Tables
Gets a list of Tables of a Dataset    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
DatasetId
WorkspaceId
Option Value
Default
 Get Table Columns
Gets Columns of a Table    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
TableName
DatasetId
WorkspaceId
Option Value
Default
 Get Table Rows
Reads a Table of a Dataset.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
TableName
DatasetId
WorkspaceId
Option Value
Default
DaxFilter
Option Value
All Rows true
'Equal to' operator example [Column] = "AnyValue"
'And' operator example [Column1] = "AnyValue1" && [Column2] = "AnyValue2"
'And' and 'Or' operators used together [Column1] = "AnyValue" && ([Column2] = 1234 || [Column3] < 1000)
'IN' operator example [Column] IN { "Value1", "Value2"}
 Insert Rows into Push Dataset Table
Inserts rows into a Push Dataset Table    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
TableName
DatasetId
WorkspaceId
Option Value
Default
 Truncate a Push Dataset Table
Reads a Table of a Dataset.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
TableName
DatasetId
WorkspaceId
Option Value
Default
 Execute a DAX query
Executes a DAX query on a Dataset in a default or specified Workspace.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
DAX query Your DAX Query. Examples: EVALUATE FILTER('MyTable',true) --OR-- more complex EVALUATE FILTER(''MyTable'', [SomeNameColumn] = "ZZZ" && ([SomeIdColumn] = 10643 || [SomeIdColumn] = 10952 ) )
DatasetId
WorkspaceId
Option Value
Default
 Generic Request
This is generic endpoint. Use this endpoint when some actions are not implemented by connector. Just enter partial URL (Required), Body, Method, Header etc. Most parameters are optional except URL.    [Read more...]
Parameter Description
Url API URL goes here. You can enter full URL or Partial URL relative to Base URL. If it is full URL then domain name must be part of ServiceURL or part of TrustedDomains
Body Request Body content goes here
IsMultiPart Set this option if you want to upload file(s) (i.e. POST RAW file data) or send data using Multi-Part encoding method (i.e. Content-Type: multipart/form-data). Multi-Part request allows you to mix key/value and upload files in same request. On the other hand raw upload allows only single file upload (without any key/value) ==== Raw Upload (Content-Type: application/octet-stream) ===== To upload single file in raw mode check this option and specify full file path starting with @ sign in the Body (e.g. @c:\data\myfile.zip ) ==== Form-Data / Multipart Upload (Content-Type: multipart/form-data) ===== To treat your Request data as multi part fields you must specify key/value pairs separated by new lines into RequestData field (i.e. Body). Each key value pair is entered on new-line and key/value are separated using equal sign (=). Preceding and trailing spaces are ignored also blank lines are ignored. If field value has some any special character(s) then use escape sequence (e.g. For NewLine: \r\n, For Tab: \t, For at (@): \@). When value of any field starts with at sign (@) its automatically treated as File you want to upload. By default file content type is determined based on extension however you can supply content type manually for any field using this way [ YourFileFieldName.Content-Type=some-content-type ]. By default File Upload Field always includes Content-Type in the request (non file fields do not have content-type by default unless you supply manually). For some reason if you dont want to use Content-Type header in your request then supply blank Content-Type to exclude this header altogather [e.g. SomeFieldName.Content-Type= ]. In below example we have supplied Content-Type for file2 and SomeField1, all other fields are using default content-type. See below Example of uploading multiple files along with additional fields. If some API requires you to pass Content-Type: multipart/form-data rather than multipart/form-data then manually set Request Header => Content-Type: multipart/mixed (it must starts with multipart/ else will be ignored). file1=@c:\data\Myfile1.txt file2=@c:\data\Myfile2.json file2.Content-Type=application/json SomeField1=aaaaaaa SomeField1.Content-Type=text/plain SomeField2=12345 SomeFieldWithNewLineAndTab=This is line1\r\nThis is line2\r\nThis is \ttab \ttab \ttab SomeFieldStartingWithAtSign=\@MyTwitterHandle
Filter Enter filter to extract array from response. Example: $.rows[*] --OR-- $.customers[*].orders[*]. Check your response document and find out hierarchy you like to extract
Headers Headers for Request. To enter multiple headers use double pipe or new line after each {header-name}:{value} pair

Conclusion

In this article we discussed how to connect to Power BI in Azure Data Factory (SSIS) and integrate data without any coding. Click here to Download Power BI Connector for Azure Data Factory (SSIS) and try yourself see how easy it is. If you still have any question(s) then ask here or simply click on live chat icon below and ask our expert (see bottom-right corner of this page).

Download Power BI Connector for Azure Data Factory (SSIS) Documentation 

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