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Hi everyone,

I’m coming across some specific drawbacks of using the semantic models in TimeXtender in combination with PowerBI. I hope this is due to my lack of understanding or design choices and hoping it can be fixed.

While working OT(A)P (DEV / TST / PRD) we have found that looking at the development environment with PowerBI is too much of a hassle, too many changes, wrong data, just too much development to keep up in the semantic models and PowerBI is not flexible when it comes to name changes etc.

We decided to delete the semantic models from DEV and start building the model in TST. (For early data exploration we can still build the model in PowerBI itself on the MDW). In PowerBI we use the pipelines and we can connect TST-TST and PRD-PRD. But what would be even better is connect a PowerBI DEV workspace to TST, and the PowerBI TST and PRD workspaces to the PRD endpoint so that we can test the dashboard on production data, give it the green light and there is no risk of any differences when promoting it in PRD, no downtime etc.

Is it possible to connect 1 semantic model to multiple workspaces? Also, can I create multiple of the same type of endpoints so that I can have the same dataset in multiple workspaces? If not, is there a way to publish these datasets somewhere else and then connect to that like an intermediate layer or something?

I hope I’m missing something or someone figured out a nice solution already.
Tnx,

Pepijn

Hi @Pepijn 

Please review the following guide on Multiple Environments:

In your case it sounds like you would create 3 environments, 2 ODX instances, 3 DW instances and 3 semantic model instances. Each semantic model instance has its own tabular endpoint (i.e. deploying a model to a specific power bi workspace). When you have tested the Dev semantic model, you can transfer the Dev semantic model instance to the Test semantic model instance. And once the Test semantic model instance has been tested, the semantic model Test instance can be transferred to the semantic model Prod instance. Please let me know if this answers your question

Hello Christian,

Thanks for your answer but I think we are not on the same page.
We have 3 environments in TimeXtender, all connected to one ODX (PRD). This all works fine. The challenge is the connection between SSL and PowerBI workspaces. 

However I found out that I overlooked the ability to add multiple endpoints in de TimeXtender portal. I think my answer for multiple (identical) datasets that connect to different workspaces lies there. I thought one SSL was limited to one Endpoint but that's not the case.

I wil try to make 2 endpoints on one SSL layer and see if that works. I will follow up for future reference.

Hi @Pepijn 

Each endpoint in this SSL instance will be the same, but yes, you can add multiple PowerBI endpoints to one SSL and have them point at different workspaces.

Hi @Pepijn did you manage to manage to setup the required endpoints? If so please help us by marking a best answer above, or if you have any follow up questions please let us know

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