The on-premises data gateway acts as a “bridge” that facilitates data transfer between on-premises database systems and cloud-based apps. This is particularly useful for organizations that prefer keeping their data on-premises due to security or compliance measures but need to use cloud applications for functionality or data processing.
When to use the On-Premises Data Gateway
1. Access to On-premises Data Needed
The most obvious circumstance where you would use the data gateway is if you have data residing on your local environment that needs to be accessed by cloud services. Thus, scenarios such as using Power BI to visualize data stored in local SQL Server databases would require a data gateway.
2. Direct Query Needs
In scenarios that necessitate real-time data access, the on-premises data gateway is needed. Direct Query in Power BI is one such example, as it does not import or duplicate data. Instead, it queries directly and retrieves real-time data.
3. Refreshing Data
For situations where your cloud services need to refresh data from on-premises sources regularly, the data gateway is the perfect fit. In Power BI, scheduled refreshes can ensure your data is up-to-date.
4. Advanced Transformations
In some cases, Power BI might be unable to handle complex transformations or fetch large volumes of data from on-premises sources without the help of a data gateway.
Installing the On-Premises Data Gateway
- Download the on-premises data gateway from the Microsoft Download Center.
- Run the installer on a computer with connectivity to both your on-premise data sources and the internet.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account to register the gateway.
- Choose whether you want a ‘Standard (recommended)’ or ‘Personal’ gateway, then configure its settings.
Remember that the on-premises data gateway needs to be installed on a computer that continuously runs and has a consistent internet connection.
Conclusion
Knowing how and when to use the on-premises data gateway is essential for any functional consultant. Power Platform’s wide array of cloud-based services, coupled with the flexibility of on-premises data storage, mandates the knowledge of this “bridge” between the two environments.
Relying on the Microsoft’s official documentation guarantees that the information shared here is credible and reliable, providing you with the grounding necessary to succeed in the Microsoft PL-200 Power Platform Functional Consultant exam. Be sure to delve deeper into the technicalities of setting up and managing the on-premises data gateway in different scenarios to further enhance your understanding of this topic.
Practice Test
True or False: The on-premises data gateway can be used when direct cloud connection is not available.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The on-premises data gateway enables connectivity from cloud to on-premises data sources when direct cloud connection is not available.
Multiple select: Which Microsoft services make use of the on-premises data gateway?
- A. Power BI
- B. Power Apps
- C. Power Automate
- D. Power Pivot
Answer: A, B, C
Explanation: Power BI, Power Apps, and Power Automate use the on-premises data gateway. Power Pivot does not.
True or False: The on-premises data gateway should be used when working with Cloud-native data sources.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: The gateway is not necessary when working with Cloud-native data sources as these sources are directly reachable from the cloud.
Multiple select: What are the deployment types of on-premises data gateway?
- A. Personal mode
- B. Business mode
- C. Standard mode
- D. Office mode
Answer: A, C
Explanation: The two types of data gateway deployments are personal mode and standard mode.
Single select: When should you NOT use the on-premises data gateway?
- A. When the data server is behind a firewall
- B. When the data is cloud-based
- C. When the data server uses a non-English character set
- D. When the data server is located in a remote place
Answer: B
Explanation: When the data is already on the cloud you don’t need to use the on-premises data gateway.
True or False: The on-premises data gateway allows for data transfer between on-premises data sources and cloud services in real-time.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The on-premises data gateway supports real-time and scheduled data transfer.
Multiple select: What are the prerequisites for installing the on-premises data gateway?
- A. Administrative rights on the gateway machine
- B. Internet Explorer 10 or later
- C. .NET 6 Framework or later
- D. Python 3 or later
Answer: A, B, C
Explanation: Administrative rights on the gateway machine, Internet Explorer 10 or later, and .NET 6 Framework or later are prerequisites for installing the gateway.
True or False: The on-premises data gateway supports all kinds of data sources, irrespective of format and location.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: The on-premises data gateway only supports specific data sources and does not include all kinds of data sources.
Single select: Which user, in an organization, should typically install the on-premises data gateway?
- A. Network administrator
- B. Data analyst
- C. End user
- D. Software developer
Answer: A
Explanation: Typically, the network administrator installs the on-premises data gateway, as this role has administrative access.
True or False: The on-premises data gateway has built-in data caching mechanism.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The on-premises data gateway does have a data caching mechanism to improve performance and limit data transfer.
Interview Questions
What is the purpose of the on-premises data gateway?
The on-premises data gateway acts as a bridge, providing quick and secure data transfer between on-premises data (data that isn’t in the cloud) and the Power BI, Microsoft Flow, Logic Apps, and PowerApps services.
Can you use the gateway to transfer data between cloud services?
No, the on-premises data gateway is designed to get data from on-premises sources and not to exchange data between cloud services.
Is it necessary to install the on-premises data gateway on the same computer as the data source?
No, it is not necessary, although the computer must have network access to the data source.
What kind of data sources are supported by the on-premises data gateway?
The on-premises data gateway supports different data sources such as SQL Server, Oracle, Teradata, Files (Excel, Power BI Desktop), and more.
Is it possible to use one gateway for multiple on-premises data sources?
Yes, you can use one gateway with multiple on-premises data sources.
Can multiple gateways be installed on the same computer?
No, you can’t install more than one gateway on the same computer.
Can the on-premises data gateway handle requests from different cloud services at the same time?
Yes, a single gateway can handle simultaneous requests from Power BI, Power Apps, and other supported services.
What type of data gateways does Microsoft Power Platform offer?
Microsoft Power Platform offers two types of gateways: On-premises data gateway (standard mode) and On-premises data gateway (personal mode).
When to use the On-premises data gateway (personal mode)?
Personal mode should be used for scenarios where one person owns the data sources, or if data sources are not shared among others and need to connect to desktop data sources from Power BI.
Do you need to sign in to your cloud service when you install the gateway?
Yes, you do need to sign in using the same organizational account to take ownership and manage the gateway.
Do you need to keep your computer on and connected to the internet when using the on-premises data gateway?
Yes, the computer installed with the on-premises data gateway needs to remain turned on and connected to the internet.
Is the on-premises data gateway supported on any operating system?
The data gateway can be installed on both Windows and Linux operating systems, but not yet supported on macOS.
How does on-premises data gateway ensure secure data transfer?
The data gateway encrypts data for secure transfer and doesn’t store any data. It just allows data interaction between the cloud and the data source.
Who can install the on-premises data gateway?
Anyone who is an administrator on the local computer and has the necessary organizational permissions can install the gateway.
Can I use the on-premises data gateway to transfer data in real-time?
Yes, it supports real-time and scheduled data transfer.
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