Connecting Power BI to Snowflake using Azure SSO

Question

How can I connect Snowflake with Power BI without having to enter credentials every time? I would like to use Azure SSO to avoid this. Any advice on how to achieve this?

Thanks in Advance.

Answer 1

To connect Power BI to Snowflake using Azure Single Sign-On (SSO) for seamless authentication without having to enter credentials each time, you'll need to follow a series of steps to set up the integration. Here’s a general overview of how you can achieve this:

Prerequisites

1. Azure AD Account: Ensure you have an Azure AD account with admin privileges.
2. Snowflake Account: Have access to your Snowflake account with the necessary permissions.
3. Power BI Subscription: Ensure you have an active Power BI subscription.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Configure Azure AD for SSO:
   • In Azure AD, go to Enterprise Applications and add Snowflake as an enterprise application.
   • Set up SSO in Azure AD for Snowflake. This typically involves configuring SAML-based SSO and obtaining the SAML metadata which will be required for configuring Snowflake.
2. Configure Snowflake for SSO with Azure AD:
   • Log in to Snowflake and navigate to the security settings.
   • Configure SSO by adding the Azure AD details obtained in the previous step (like the SAML metadata).
   • Create or modify a security integration in Snowflake to enable SSO and specify Azure AD as the identity provider.
3. Assign Users in Azure AD:
   • In Azure AD, assign users or groups to the Snowflake enterprise application. These users will be able to use Azure SSO to access Snowflake.
4. Configure Power BI to Use Azure SSO for Snowflake:
   • When connecting Power BI to Snowflake, select the option to use SSO for authentication.
   • Enter your Snowflake account details. Power BI will redirect to Azure AD for authentication.
   • If you've set up everything correctly, you shouldn’t need to enter your credentials each time.
5. Power BI Data Gateway (Optional):
   • If you’re accessing on-premises data, consider using Power BI Data Gateway and configure it to work with Azure SSO.

Testing and Validation

• After setting up, test the configuration by trying to connect to Snowflake from Power BI using a user account that has been assigned to the Snowflake application in Azure AD.
• Ensure that the SSO is working as expected and that you don't need to repeatedly enter login credentials.

Additional Considerations

• Synchronization: Ensure that the user accounts in Azure AD, Snowflake, and Power BI are correctly synchronized or mapped.
• Security Policies: Review and configure security policies in both Azure AD and Snowflake to comply with your organization's requirements.

This setup enables a more seamless and secure connection between Power BI and Snowflake, leveraging Azure AD for authentication, thereby enhancing the user experience and maintaining security standards.

For detailed instructions and specific configurations, refer to the Azure AD, Snowflake, and Power BI documentation. If you encounter specific issues or errors during the setup, you might need to consult with the support teams of Azure AD, Snowflake, or Power BI for more tailored assistance.

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