Fabric Deployment Pipeline: How to Map Dev and Prod Workspaces to Different Gateways?

Question

We are working on a project where we have separate Dev and Prod Fabric Workspaces, each connecting to different on-premise data sources through their respective on-premise data gateways.

• The Dev Workspace should always use Gateway-Dev

The Prod Workspace should always use Gateway-Prod

We are using Fabric Deployment Pipelines to deploy items from Dev to Prod. However, after deployment, the Power BI datasets/semantic models in the Prod workspace still remain associated with the Dev gateway instead of switching to the Prod gateway.

We want to understand:

1. Can gateway switching be handled automatically using Deployment Rules?

Documentations mention that data source can be modified using deployment rule, but its unclear if on prem data gateway can be switched using them.

2. If this is supported, what are the exact steps?

We need the precise configuration steps for:

Setting up deployment rules

Ensuring rules apply per workspace (Dev vs Prod)

Making sure that after deployment the datasets/semantic models in Prod automatically binds to Gateway-Prod

Any prerequisites or limitations we should know

Our requirement is that gateway mapping must automatically switch based on the target workspace during deployment, without manual intervention.

Could someone please confirm the correct approach and provide a step-by-step guide if Deployment Rules can achieve this? or if there is any other approach we need to consider, Thanks!

Answer 1

To handle gateway switching automatically during deployment from Dev to Prod workspaces in Fabric, you can utilize Connection Rules. Here’s how you can set it up:

1. Setting Up Connection Rules

Connection Rules allow you to define how datasets connect to gateways based on the workspace they are deployed to. Here’s how to set them up:

• Access the Gateway Settings: In the Power BI service, navigate to the settings of your gateway.
• Create Connection Rules: Define rules that specify which gateway should be used for each workspace. For instance, you can create a rule that binds the Dev Workspace to Gateway-Dev and another rule that binds the Prod Workspace to Gateway-Prod.

2. Ensuring Rules Apply Per Workspace

When creating connection rules, ensure that you specify the workspace context in your rules. This way, when a dataset is deployed to the Prod workspace, it will automatically use the Gateway-Prod as defined in your rules.

3. Automatic Binding After Deployment

To ensure that after deployment the dataset in Prod automatically binds to Gateway-Prod:

• Deploy Using the Deployment Pipeline: When you deploy your content from the Dev workspace to the Prod workspace using the Fabric Deployment Pipeline, the connection rules will be applied based on the target workspace.
• Verify Binding: After deployment, check the dataset settings in the Prod workspace to confirm that it is bound to Gateway-Prod.

Prerequisites and Limitations

• Gateway Configuration: Make sure both gateways (Gateway-Dev and Gateway-Prod) are properly configured and accessible.
• Permissions: Ensure that the users deploying the content have the necessary permissions to access both gateways.
• Deployment Pipeline Settings: Review the deployment pipeline settings to ensure they are configured to respect the connection rules.

By following these steps, you should be able to automate the gateway switching process based on the target workspace during deployment, minimizing the need for manual intervention.