• Ben Watt

Automate your Power BI data validation

In this session we look at one way to implement automated testing of your Power BI dataset's data quality back to source.

In a meta-data driven solution you'll see how to leverage multiple technologies like Python, Azure Function Apps, SQL Database and of course Power BI to create a test history dashboard.

With this process in place, you will feel much more comfortable that development across your Power BI data model or dataflows don't create unexpected differences, with validation done across all dimensions.

This session is demo heavy, uses the AdventureWorks database and all of the code is shared so you'll be able to pick it up, try it out & adapt to your own solutions.

• Alexander Thiede

Road to Net Zero enabled by data

Embark on the journey to Net Zero with Data. Get insights on a hackbox project where ideas become action and people unite to hack tangible use cases for a greener tomorrow. We will share real customer scenarios related to Climate Action Planning, Corporate Carbon Footprint, Product Carbon Footprint and Product Decarbonization Roadmaps build on top of Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability, Open Data Model, Power Platform, Power BI and Fabric.

• Uwe Ricken

Simplify data management with partitioning

The times of small database systems are now over. Even "small" systems already provide databases with several 100 GB data volume. It can be a real challenge for the DBA to complete the daily maintenance tasks, data backup, consistency checks, ... in a reasonable time frame.
With the help of partitioning (also a feature of the Standard Edition since SQL 2016), considerable advantages in ETL processes, maintenance and backup / recovery can be achieved.
The main area of application for partitioning is the optimization of the load paths for complex DWH solutions and the maintenance of large databases (statistics, indexes, backups, restores). The very strongly demo-based session shows partitioning scenarios that let the DBA do alternative things again and encourage ETL developers to dance the joys.

• Alex Yates

Shared dev servers suck: Go faster, cheaper, and safer with self-service test data management

They used to say that out of speed, quality and cost, you had to pick two. I'm here to tell you that's rubbish.

Imagine if your .NET dev team put their source code on a file share, and all hacked away at the same time. That thing would NEVER compile! Thank goodness for source control and CI/CD!

But what about dev/test databases? These chaotic environments are often shared by far too many people. We do this because of outdated ideas about admin/storage overheads or data privacy. These things are important, and they deserve better solutions than resorting to vulnerable shared servers.

As a business or a manager, you want to deliver faster, safer, and cheaper. As a developer, building a dev/test server should be as easy as "git clone f5". As a DBA, you should be confident about dev/test infrastructure, without endless admin toil.

In this session, we'll explore a few of the open source and commercial tools (from the Data Platform Community, Docker, Microsoft, and Redgate) that can help you to build an entirely automated and self-service test data management solution.

• Kristina Preuer
• Theresa Hirz

Beyond Words: Azure OpenAI Embeddings - Turning Language into Calculations

Get ready to demystify large language models. We will explain how large language models process text as embeddings and how these can be used to generate text and even images. In a practical example we will show, how these embeddings can be used to chat with your own data.

• Elena Drakulevska

Gestalt: The Jedi Mind Trick of Power BI Design

Join us in a galaxy not so far away, where data visualization meets the mystical world of Gestalt.

Gestalt is more than just a random German word; it holds an inherent power, when understood and mastered, allows you to access the true art of data storytelling.

Embark on this journey, as we delve into how Gestalt principles shape human perception, enabling us to see patterns, connections and stories hidden within the numbers.
Let’s explore the principles of proximity, similarly, closure and more, while discovering the significance of balance and effectively guiding users’ attention, just like a Jedi mind trick.

Whether you are an experienced Jedi or just a curious Padawan, this session is for you! Embrace the force of Gestalt and use these Jedi mind tricks in your Power BI design to become a true Data Viz Master.

May the Gestalt be with you!

• Frank Wagner
• Felix Kefer

Take raw data to curated (cloud) data in under 60 minutes with TimeXtender

Data Management doesn´t have to feel like rocket science anymore! You will learn how TimeXtender, a metadata-driven low-code tool, enables you to get application data landed in adata lake, curated it in a data warehouse and delivered to users in Power BI – in minutes, not days. As a bonus we migrate to Azure in the session.

• Odeta Jankaitienė

Enhancing User Experience with Embedded Power BI Content

The Embedding Power BI Content session is a comprehensive guide on how to embed Power BI dashboards and reports into other applications.

This session covers the different methods of embedding Power BI content, including using the Power BI JavaScript API, Power BI Embedded, and Power BI Publish to Web. Attendees will learn how to customize the embedded content's appearance and configure access and security for the embedded content.

Moreover, the session covers different scenarios where Power BI content embedding can be used, including customer-facing applications, operational reporting, and business intelligence solutions. Attendees can learn how to use Power BI content embedding to improve decision-making processes, drive business growth, and create a better user experience.

Overall, the Enhancing User Experience with Embedded Power BI Content session is an excellent opportunity for developers, data analysts, and business intelligence professionals to learn how to integrate Power BI content into their applications. Attendees can gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of using Power BI content embedding and how to implement it effectively to create powerful data analytics solutions.

• Tomaž Kaštrun

Azure Machine Learning Service with Python

Azure Machine Learning service is Azure based service with provided on-prem Python SDK, that combines both worlds, cloud and on-prem, and brings data scientists ability to quickly prepare data, train and deploy machine learning models and consume the predictions.
Azure ML service provides broader usage of cloud and improves the productivity, helps burden the knowledge scarcity, reduces costs and does auto-scaling. Azure ML Service embraces also many open-source python frameworks and packages, such as Scikit-Learn, TensorFlow, Pytorch and MXnet.

In this session we will explore end-to-end ML solution with Azure Machine Learning using Python SDK.

• Nicky van Vroenhoven

A Deep Dive Into The Power BI Direct Lake

The term storage mode in Power BI refers to how tables are stored and how queries will be sent to the data source. In Power BI desktop you can specify the storage mode on a per-table basis. It's important to understand how the different storage modes function and how they can be utilized to meet certain business requirements.

Power BI has had storage modes for quite some time, with Import being the best practice and default mode for the majority of projects.
With Microsoft Fabric, a new mode has been announced: Direct Lake mode.

How does that fit in? It's actually not really a storage mode (because it doesn’t store any data!), but more a connectivity mode.
What are the differences and similarities or the pros and cons to the old storage modes? And do we still need to use those?
What's V-Ordering all about?
What Power BI or Fabric licenses do we need, to use Direct Lake mode?

In this session we will deep dive into the Direct Lake and answer these questions.
This sessions is mainly aimed at Power BI developers, so anyone who works with Power BI Desktop, or people that want to get a better understanding of all the storage modes in Power BI. Some experience with Power BI (Desktop) is assumed, so that you have a basic understanding of how Power BI works: use Power Query to ingest some data, build a data model and create a report.

• Oliver Engels
• Tillmann Eitelberg

Data Quality Roundtrip 2023 in the Microsoft Data Platform

Data Quality Tools and Services in the Data Platform has always played a niche role. Anyone remembers DQS in SQL Server? As Data Governance plays more and more an important part in the strategy of Microsoft, we will run a demo packed session to show you what is currently available in Fabric, in Azure Services and as well in Microsoft Purview. We will discuss the pitfalls, the potential and have look to the benefits and possible strategy for your data estate

• Benni De Jagere

You're a Power BI Admin? Let's get your threads aligned for Fabric!

May 23rd 2023 will be remembered by many as a day that shook the Data & AI ecosystem for Microsoft, potentially even beyond. Many of the Power BI Admins lived their life of dealing with the woes and worries of a reporting environment, until that very day a few things were made public. With the announcement of Fabric, an all-in-one Analytics solutions, covering a whole new range of possibilities, this means Power BI Admins have a lot more ground to cover. But how will they do it? How will they keep up with all the new options and responsibilities.

This session will focus on the life of a Power BI Admin moving over to the extended Fabric realm, and keeping their things in check. We'll look at the familiar topics of capacity and workspace management, and how they align with the new workloads that have been introduced. We'll notice there's a very large overlap, as Fabric has been built on the foundations of Power BI.

To wrap up, we'll look at some of the new tools that were introduced to help you keep an overview of the tenant, and make sure the right data gets to the right people. This means getting an inventory of our tenant settings, and setting up alerts for when something changes, working with the newly introduced Admin Monitoring workspace to have an easy overview of what is happening where.

Walking out of this session, a Power BI Admin should feel more confident about Fabric, and be convinced it can actually make their life easier.

• Chris Hamill

Building App-like reporting for high quality user experiences

A Power BI report can have the perfect visuals to tell a story, but if it is not intuitive to navigate, your users may not see the full picture.
Come learn how to utilize native Power BI features (such as Bookmarks and Buttons, Page tooltips, and Drill through) to build high quality user experiences that will keep your users engaged and get the most out of your reporting.

• Frank Geisler

Introduction to Bicep for the Cloud DBA

In this Session MVP Frank Geisler will give an introduction to Bicep for the Cloud DBA. As more and more systems are migrated to the cloud and as the sheer number of systems rises continuously Frank and Timur will demonstrate how to ease the process of creating and maintaining resources in the cloud via bicep. Bicep is a simplification of the descriptive notation of cloud resources that was introduced via ARM Templates. There are several advantages of having cloud resources described via bicep. First of all the bicep code is a documentation of the deployed infrastructure (which is also called "Infrastucture as code"). Another big advantage of Bicep is that before applying the script to the Azure Subscription a "delta" is calculated and only the differences will be deployed. Furthermore it is possible to deploy Changes on you infrastructure via a deployment pipeline.
In this session Frank will explain how to write Bicep Scripts and demonstrate this with several Azure Resources.

• Valerie Junk

From data to action: Driving decision-making with Power BI

Let's face it; there are probably not many people designing dashboards and reports just to have something pretty to look at. Companies asking for dashboards want to get insights and eventually take action with these insights.
Many Power BI dashboards companies use do not fully fulfill this need. Often there is data, which is good, but taking action and taking the next step with the insights needs many additional steps... When we take a step back, the dashboards were intended to lessen the workload and not add to the workload.

In this session, "From Data to Action," I will show how you can visualize the data in a way that helps companies to take the next step. Often, this is not complicated, and you don't need to buy additional tools. Just some visual tweaks will go a long way!

Also, this session will focus on asking the right questions and tailoring the design to your audience. So it's a mix of visuals, examples, and theory about choosing the right design to answer the (actual) question.

Whether you are a business analyst, a data enthusiast, or a decision maker, this session will help you to bring your dashboards to the next level. It will also help you to communicate more clearly to the team what you are looking for, even if you don't know everything about Power BI and dashboard design.

• Ana Maria Bisbe York

Let's define Entities and attributes for tabular models in 10 minutes.

The tabular model in Power BI is composed of tables and relations. Tables should be model entities. There are several scenarios where tables cannot be identified as real entities.
This session will show examples from real-life projects demonstrating the issue and improving the models. Power Query will be the environment for the session.

• Gabi Münster
• Oliver Engels

Extended Governance of Microsoft Fabric with Microsoft Purview

As soon as your Fabric user base or usage pattern getting bigger, or you extend from pure Self-Service to Corporate BI, you definitely need a proper governance on your Fabric tenant. Out of the box, Fabric offers already functionality. In this session we will extend these governance functions with the help of Microsoft Purview. With Purview we add not only Data Catalog, -Map and extended lineage functionality we will improve data loss prevention, data life cycle management end to end and add information protection. The session will include live demos, watch out and implementation best practices.

• Marjolein Opsteegh

DOD, Definition of Done, when is your dashboard ready

Do you want to build a dashboard that not only looks good, but also performs top notch and is 100% accurate? Do you want to stick to the plan and not continuously deviate but you don't know what is reasonably expected of you? Then this session is for you!

During this interactive session we look at the 6 essential steps of building a dashboard, from customer demand to final delivery and will have a look at what “have to be done” to complete your dashboard.

The 6 essential steps are:

1. Load and edit data
2. Modeling data
3. Set up measures with DAX
4. Visualize data
5. Optimize performance
6. Communicate

Then, based on a checklist, you determine when you are ready with your dashboard. Because there should be a point where you and your client are satisfied with the result and start presenting the dashboard.

This session is intended for dashboard builders and is suitable for all skill levels.

Don't miss out and make sure to take your dashboard projects to the next level!

• Just Blindbæk

Transforming Data into Gold: A Live Demonstration of Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse

Dive into the dynamic world of data management with this lightning talk, where we'll unveil a live, end-to-end demonstration of a Metadata-Driven Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse. This session is designed for data professionals eager to explore innovative solutions in data architecture.

Experience first-hand how to transform raw data into valuable insights within a span of 10 minutes, utilizing a robust Lakehouse architecture on Microsoft Fabric. Our framework is tailored to boost productivity and elevate development quality in crafting and managing Data Lakehouse solutions.

Key Highlights:
- Discover how to automate data cleaning, validation, and deduplication using PySpark's robust capabilities.
- Learn to articulate business logic for facts and dimensions effectively through SparkSQL.

Attendees will leave with practical knowledge and insights into implementing a Lakehouse, making data operations more efficient, and harnessing the full potential of Microsoft Fabric.

• Michaela Berndl

Powerful Performance - Unleash the potential of Power BI with DAX Studio!

Are your Power BI reports taking ages to load? Are your users frustrated by sluggish dashboards? It's time to break free from average performance and unlock the real power of Power BI! In this session, we'll delve into the powerful capabilities of DAX Studio, allowing you to optimize DAX expressions, identify bottlenecks, and fine-tune your measures. Join me for a session packed with valuable insights and practical tips to optimize the performance of your Power BI report.

• Ásgeir Gunnarsson

Power BI Governance quick start

For many the mention of governance gives them images of massive effort and inconvenience for themselves and end-users. It´s a hindrance and waste of time. But it doesn´t have to be that way.
Yes, governance is an ongoing effort that doesn´t end and yes depending on industry it might get complicated but getting started and getting far can be done in as little as few weeks. In this session we will talk about how we can start to tackle Power BI governance. We will look at few things you can get started with very quickly that will get you far in setting up your governance strategy.

We will look at things such as documentation, roles and monitoring. The hope is that you go back to your organization with a clear picture of where to start and a better feeling on governance.

• Ben Weissman (he/him)
• Wolfgang Strasser
• Nikola Ilic
• Elena Drakulevska

Community Stories - to be continued...

In this session, featuring four speakers from the data platform community, each speaker unfolds their unique journey, revealing personal and professional milestones within the community. Their stories highlight the interconnectedness within the community, emphasizing how mentorship fosters growth and collaboration.

The overarching theme is continuity — a call to action for the audience to become the next chapter in this evolving story. The session not only celebrates the diversity of experiences but also underscores the universal principles that bind the community together. As the speakers unfold their stories, the audience is reminded that they too play a crucial role in shaping the ongoing narrative.

"Community Stories - to be continued..." is not just a session; it's an invitation. The stage is set for a collective journey where anyone in the audience could be the next protagonist, continuing the story and contributing to the vibrant tapestry of the community. This session is a celebration of shared experiences, mentorship, and the limitless potential for growth within a supportive and interconnected community.

• Stijn Wynants
• Filip Popović

Fabric Espresso: Lungo Edition!

Fabric Espresso team is coming to your favorite conference with freshly brewed pot of content!

Join us in this hour-long session to learn how to unlock the power of Synapse SQL pools and boost your data warehouse and data lake performance.

We will cover everything you need to know to delight your business users by making serverless SQL pool fly! From basics to squeezing the very last bit of performance out of it.

If you are more into data warehouses, don't worry, we have you covered as well! We will cover best strategy for ingestion and consumption of your data so you can start working on your data warehouse quickly and with confidence.

Every tip and trick we share is proven in real world customer scenarios.

And all of this comes in easy to consume sips!

• Ynte Jan Kuindersma

Work with Power BI API’s through Power Automate. Export data and start and stop embedded capacity

• Mladen Prajdic

Thē wönderfűl wôrld of ćollåtions, eñcodingß and téxt sţoræge

In today's world the chances of having data in a single language are slim to none.
Your customers speak and write many languages with many different letters.
Once you get to talking or thinking about characters, collations, encodings,
sort orders, diacritics, code pages, etc, a brain melt is what you end up with.
In this session we'll look at what all of these things are, how they fit together
and how to use them properly as each of them can break your applications in various ways.
Since SQL Server 2019 brought improvements in UTF-8 area, we'll look at that as well.
Because sometimes it's not enough to just use NChar or NVarChar and thinking everything will be ok.

• Lars Andersen

Driving alerts and actions on your data

Everyone wants to drive actions on data, however, today it can be a manual, time-consuming and repetitive task. In many cases automating alerts and actions on your data requires writing code.
With Microsoft Fabric there is a new service called Data Activator and it can help your organization become even more data-driving, by utilizing triggers and turning data into actions. The amazing part is that you can achieve all of this without writing code. In this session you will see how Data Activator works in action

• Erwin de Kreuk

Unleashing the Potential of Metadata-Driven ELT Framework

A metadata-driven ELT framework in Azure Synapse Analytics or in Microsoft Fabric is a way of organizing, optimizing and managing data pipelines that involves using metadata to define and control the flow of data from source to destination. This can be useful for organizations that have a large number of data pipelines and want to have more control over how data is processed and moved between systems.

In this session, we will discuss the benefits of using a metadata-driven approach to managing data pipelines. Our discussion will include practical examples and best practices for implementing a metadata-driven ELT framework in your organization based on the Medallion Lakehouse architecture. We will also provide you with code samples and walk them through how to get started with implementing this framework in your own work.

This session is ideal for data engineers and other technical professionals who want to learn how to optimize their data pipelines in Azure Synapse Analytics or Fabric. By the end of the session, you will have a clear understanding of how to use a metadata-driven approach to manage and maintain data pipelines, enabling better control and visibility over their data processes.

• Miguel Félix

Power BI Developer Mode - Non technical

The new developer mode in Power BI allows the development of datasets and reports in an easier and fast way, it includes source control and full integration with DevOps and Fabric.

This is impressive however for users that are not advanced users and proficient in the technical terms this seems to be only for full time developer or IT background users.

In this session I will show how you can leverage the use of the Developer mode even if you do not go to the advanced capabilities with the integration of DevOps and Fabric.

I will highlight, the use of this option for you to achieve:
• Start collaborating with developer mode.
• Renaming, sorting, duplicating, and deleting pages from your report
• Copy+paste entire pages from one report to the other.
• Update your dataset by creating new calculations or queries within your dataset.
• Create or update table Model Views
• Renaming/Deleting Bookmarks
• Duplicating visualizations
• Other things
Join me and see how you can update your reports and/or datasets “without opening” Power BI Desktop.

• Dejan Sarka

Clustering in Core Power BI and with R and Python

You probably already know that you can do basic clustering in Power BI with the scatter plot. With clustering, you try to find groups of cases, for example typical groups of customers, and also outliers, cases that do not fit well in any of the clusters. The most popular clustering methods include Hierarchical, K-Means, K-Medoid, and Gaussian Mixture Models clustering.
This presentation unveils the algorithms behind the different clustering methods and shows how to implement advanced clustering in Power BI with help of custom visuals, and R and Python code. The attendees learn how to use Power Bi for the interpretation of the clusters. Mathematical evaluation of clustering models as an advanced topic is introduced as well.

• Torsten Strauß

Query tuning in Azure SQL

In this session, we will look at some examples of slow queries in SQL Server, analyze the root cause, and implement several ways to dramatically increase query speed or workload. We will also discover the limitations of the SQL Server query engine and possible counterproductive effects of intelligent query processing features.

• Brian Bønk

The Kusto experience in Fabric

Want to make a cutting edge data platform using Kusto in Fabric?
Then come along for a journey into the world and wonders of Kusto and the new Streamevent service in Fabric.

In this session I will guide you through the experience and close collaboration between Fabric and the Kusto database and querysets. Along with how to help Power BI get the most out of your Kusto database with small tweeks.

Springled with a bit of new magic in the Jupiter Notebooks for the Kusto language, we will also set a course towards how the data engineer can begin to leverage the Kusto service.

After watching this level 200 session I hope you'll have found inspiration to work with the Kusto service in Fabric and know how to give the Kusto engine the small push it needs to perform the best in close collabaration with Power BI.

Topics:
- Kusto database
- Kusto Queryset
- Kusto magic (%kql)
- Power BI
- Streamevent

• Denis Selimovic

The Gitfather: Power BI's new deployment possibility you can't refuse

Power BI was often seen as self-service tool, as proper versioning and deployment methods did not exist. But with the latest update, Microsoft introduces a groundbreaking feature that empowers enterprise BI solutions to scale across organizations!
With the "Power BI Desktop Mode" it is easily possible to integrate Git as versioning and deployment tool into Power BI Desktop as well as Power BI Service!

This exciting new capability allows developers to save report and dataset as individual plain text files in a project folder. Using the industry-standard Git as a source control system, developers can track version history, compare revisions, revert to previous versions, and collaborate seamlessly using familiar collaboration mechanisms. Additionally, the integration with Azure DevOps and Fabric allows the co-development on identical artifacts, unlocking even greater collaboration potential.

In this presentation, we will explore the benefits of Power BI's new GitHub integration.
We will look into its powerful features, such as source control, continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), text editor support, and deployment to Git and Power BI Service.
By attending this session, participants will gain valuable insights into the capabilities and possibilities of this integration, which promotes efficient collaboration, robust version control, and efficient development processes in Power BI.
It is indeed a deployment possibility you can't refuse!

• Marc Lelijveld

Power BI refreshes - reinvented!

Have you always been scheduling your Power BI refresh in the service? Struggling to get your data available in your model in a short amount of time? Then this session is for you!

During this session, you will learn advanced patterns to optimally configure and refresh your Power BI data models in the service. We will not only discuss incremental refresh, but also how you can get your data available in your model in (near) real time.

We will discuss various patterns from high frequency refresh operations, single table or partition refreshes, detecting data changes in archived partitions and more advanced patters.

After this session you will be able to;
- Configure incremental refresh.
- Refresh individual tables and partitions in a published Power BI model.
- Connect your Power BI refresh to other processes and orchestrate centrally end-to-end.

• Matt Gordon

Ground to Cloud: Your Migration Success Checklist

Cloud migration projects are often massive projects with sprawling scopes. Even with experienced project leadership it can be very difficult to know that all preliminary preparations are complete. Worse yet, with such a large and complicated project, it can be very difficult to know when the project has actually been successfully completed.

Don't you want some help sorting through this enormous pile of work? You need to zero in on the critical items that need to be prepared, executed, and completed to ensure a successful cloud migration project. Join an experienced cloud migration consultant for a targeted walkthrough of their cloud migration success checklist so you can make sure your project gets off to a good start and reaches a successful completion.

• Wolfgang Strasser
• Filip Popović
• Chris Hamill
• Benni De Jagere
• Lars Andersen
• Gabi Münster

Ask them Anything: Microsoft Fabric, Power BI

Join us for a discussion and ask-us-anything round with some members of the Fabric product team, Fabric CAT (Customer Advisory Team).
Prepare your sessions around the topic of analytics in the Microsoft space..

• Hugo Kornelis

Execution plans ... where do I start?

SQL (the language) is not a third generation language, where the developer tells the computer every step it needs to take. It is a declarative language that specifies the required results. SQL Server itself will figure out what steps it takes to get to those results. Most of the time, that works very well.

But sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes a query takes too much time. You need to find out why, so you can fix it. That's where the execution plan comes in. In the execution plan, SQL Server exposes exactly which steps it took for your query, so you can see why it's slow.

However, execution plans can be daunting to the uninitiated. Especially for complex queries. Where do you even start?

In this session you will learn how to obtain execution plans. and how to start reading and understanding them.

• Paul Andrew

The Evolution of Data Platform Architectures in Azure - Lambda, Kappa, Delta, Data Mesh

How has advancements in highly scalable cloud technology influenced the design principals we apply when building data platform solutions? Are we designing for just speed and batch layers or do we what more from our platforms, and who says these patterns must be delivered exclusively? Let’s disrupt the theory and consider the practical application of all things. Can we now utilise Azure technology to build architectures that cater for lambda, kappa and delta concepts in a complete stack of services? And should we be considering a solution that offers all these principals in a nirvana of data insight perfection? In this session we’ll explore the answer to all these questions and more in a thought provoking, argument generating look at the challenges every data platform architect faces.

• Rob Sewell

Introducing dbachecks v3

dbachecks v1 was released back in 2018, bringing together the DBA PowerShell magic of dbatools with pester, a PowerShell testing framework to create a powerful infrastructure validation tool.

dbachecks is able to answer questions such as:
- can I connect to all of my instances?
- was my last full backup with 7 days
- are my databases owned by the expected login
- am I using 'page verify' to detect corruption
- are any of my certificates nearing expiration
- and many more...

v2 introduced the ability to store these results in a database and create a time series chart showing changes over time.

But now, we introduce v3!

dbachecks v3 takes advantage of Pester v5 - a total rewrite of the tool enabled us to not only increase the performance of the module but position it to be able to grow and expand in a controlled and predictable way in the future.

In this session, we'll talk about the changes we've made to the module, demo the new features and prove the massive performance increase using Profiler.

Come and join us as we share the biggest release yet of the dbachecks module and learn how you can utilise it in your environments.

• Ust Oldfield

Data Modelling Showdown: Unravelling the Mysteries of Different Data Modelling Approaches

Some people and organisations have a preference for a data modelling approach, whether that's a Kimball Star Schema, Data Vault, One Big Table, or something else. Lots of people and organisations don't know where to begin with data modelling, let along have a preferred approach.

In the world of data management and analytics, choosing the right data modelling approach is a critical decision that significantly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of data-driven projects. Join us for an exhilarating "Data Modelling Showdown: Unravelling the Mysteries of Different Data Modelling Approaches!" as we explore the diverse landscape of data modelling techniques.

In this dynamic session, we will embark on a thrilling journey through various data modelling methodologies, including Dimensional, Data Vault, Graph, and more. This session will demystify the unique strengths and use cases of each approach, providing a comprehensive understanding of when to leverage them for optimal results.

Whether you are a seasoned data professional seeking to expand your modelling toolkit or a data enthusiast eager to unravel the mysteries of data modelling, this session promises to be an eye-opening and empowering experience. Don't miss the chance to join us for this exhilarating showdown, and discover the best data modelling approach for your next data-driven endeavour!

• Paul Turley

Using Power BI with Lots of Data

Can we use Power to deal with real-time data sources, very large tables, and transactional details? Yes, but it requires some planning and proper design. Out of the box, Power BI is super-fast with moderate data volumes and data schemas optimized for analytic reporting. How big is your data? Millions or billions of rows? Gigabytes or terabytes? - we can handle that.
Moving beyond the basics, learn to use DirectQuery alongside in-memory Import mode in composite models to access very large tables with real-time results; models and reports that combine interactive "dashboard-style" reports and drill-through to transactional details. Take a journey and learn to use the Power BI platform to achieve the best of both worlds: performance and scale.