Microsoft Debuts Cloud-Based Power BI - InformationWeek

InformationWeek is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them.Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

CIO Insights & Innovation
Security & Risk Strategy
Team Building & Staffing
IT Strategy
Digital Business
Project Management
Programming Languages
Dr. Dobb's
Enterprise Applications
Operating Systems
Productivity/Collaboration Apps
Network Security
Careers & People
Threat Intelligence
IoT
Attacks & Breaches
Application Security
Cloud Security
Endpoint Security
Mobile Security
Perimeter Security
Risk Management
Operations Security
Analytics
Vulnerabilities & Threats
Security & Risk Strategy
Infrastructure as a Service
Platform as a Service
Software as a Service
Cloud Storage
Data Centers
Mobile Applications
Mobile Devices
Mobile Business
Enterprise Mobility Management
AI/Machine Learning
Big Data Analytics
Hardware/Architectures
Software Platforms
IoT
Networking
Wireless Infrastructure
Data Centers
Cloud Infrastructure
Careers and Certifications
Network Security
Government
Healthcare
Wall Street & Technology
Bank Systems & Technology
Insurance & Technology
Industries
Government
Healthcare
Wall Street & Technology
Bank Systems & Technology
Insurance & Technology
IT Life
Careers
Mobile
Mobile Applications
Mobile Devices
Mobile Business
Enterprise Mobility Management
Software
Enterprise Applications
Operating Systems
Productivity/Collaboration Apps
Comments
Microsoft Debuts Cloud-Based Power BI
Newest First  |  Oldest First  |  Threaded View
D. Henschen
50%
50%
D. Henschen,
 User Rank: Author
2/11/2014 | 7:06:40 PM
Re: the realities of Power BI today
The story only discussed exposing corporate databases/source to Power BI environment. It did not discuss the blending of on-premises Microsoft BI systems/assets with Power BI in the cloud. The price difference between the Excel-inclusive ProPlus version of PowerBI and the non-Excel-inclusive (Standalone) versions of Power BI is $168, not $500. Finally, I'd point out that Cindi Howson, an analyst, was quoted withing this article as critical of the overlaps among the various interfaces. She also pointed out the lack of an enterprise data model.

Otherwise, you have lots of good questions here, though many are about the status of on-premises products from Microsoft, which this story did not cover. I'm going to ask Microsoft to respond to the specifics on Power BI capabilities on Power Pivot and Power View that you point out -- and perhaps they'll have more to say about your other comments.
Charlie Babcock
50%
50%
Charlie Babcock,
 User Rank: Author
2/10/2014 | 8:54:21 PM
Microsoft cloud offerings benefit existing customers....
Power BI illustrates Microsoft's problem in the cloud. It ties together three things that customers are already familiar with, Power Point, SQL Server and Excel. and opens avenues of collaboration. Those already knowledgeable in the Microsoft product line will benefit. Those who are not, will probably be happier with the tools they're using that originated in the cloud, such as Amazon's Red Shift, Amazon RDS and DynamoDB. Microsoft is carrying existing customers to the cloud. But can it lure new customers away from their existing cloud services? Not this way, I don't think.
D. Henschen
50%
50%
D. Henschen,
 User Rank: Author
2/10/2014 | 3:30:52 PM
Connectivity is covered
Any company that is used to working with Office 365 has already crossed the bridge of linking on-premises assets and data sources to the cloud. This starts with the move of Exchange and email to the cloud. Microsoft has a battery of common tools for managing both on-premises and Azure cloud-based capabilites. These include Microsoft System Center for administrative control and Active Directory for access control and security. In short, if they're working with Office 365 and Sharepoint Online, IT knows how to make a database and others assets accessible on Azure and through Power BI.
D. Henschen
50%
50%
D. Henschen,
 User Rank: Author
2/10/2014 | 1:27:25 PM
Re: Excel hell in the cloud?
Corporate collaborators presumably start with controlled data from the corporate data warehouse, and there are ways to keep that data up-to-data after it's embedded in a data analysis. That said, Howson's warning in this story is that Power BI gives users the liberty to mashup data and create one-off data models that might drift from the single source of corporate truth. Microsoft has erred on the side of access and ease of use. Excel is always treated as Microsoft's ace in the hole, so like it or not, customers will have to live witht he consequences of that freedom, attempting to use IT controls and data update features to prevent multiple versions of the truth. 

The flip side for other tools is that they don't enjoy ubiquitous understanding and acceptance. And as Microsoft points out, the first thing many rivals build into third-party BI environments is tools for exporting and uploading data sets to Excel. Users inevitably want to take the analysis further.
D. Henschen
50%
50%
D. Henschen,
 User Rank: Author
2/10/2014 | 1:12:38 PM
BI Sites are akin to SharePoint Sites
SharePoint is part of the Office 365 experience, and BI Sites make use core SharePoint site-creation capabilities, but embedded within the confines of Power BI. That way you don't have to go off to a separate environment. These are Web-based collaboration spaces in the context of data analysis.

 
David F. Carr
50%
50%
David F. Carr,
 User Rank: Author
2/10/2014 | 1:04:14 PM
Excel hell in the cloud?
BI evangelists have been warning us about "Excel hell" forever. So is this just going to be Excel hell in the cloud? Or is this a simpler way to do BI?
Laurianne
50%
50%
Laurianne,
 User Rank: Author
2/10/2014 | 12:40:19 PM
Power BI And?
Doug, do you envision most companies using this in concert with SharePoint -- or will this offer a way for many users to get the job done without SharePoint?


The State of Cloud Computing - Fall 2020
The State of Cloud Computing - Fall 2020
Download this report to compare how cloud usage and spending patterns have changed in 2020, and how respondents think they'll evolve over the next two years.
Download Now!
Editors' Choice
Slideshows
11 Things IT Professionals Wish They Knew Earlier in Their Careers
Lisa Morgan, Freelance Writer,  4/6/2021
News
Time to Shift Your Job Search Out of Neutral
Jessica Davis, Senior Editor, Enterprise Apps,  3/31/2021
Commentary
Does Identity Hinder Hybrid-Cloud and Multi-Cloud Adoption?
Joao-Pierre S. Ruth, Senior Writer,  4/1/2021
Register for InformationWeek Newsletters
Video
Current Issue
Successful Strategies for Digital Transformation
Download this report to learn about the latest technologies and best practices or ensuring a successful transition from outdated business transformation tactics.
Download This Issue!
White Papers
Slideshows
Twitter Feed
Sponsored Live Streaming Video
Everything You've Been Told About Mobility Is Wrong
Attend this video symposium with Sean Wisdom, Global Director of Mobility Solutions, and learn about how you can harness powerful new products to mobilize your business potential.
Sponsored Video
Flash Poll