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26th July 2023
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A Fascinating Journey in Cheat Player Identification using Confluent and AWS

A Fascinating Journey in Cheat Player Identification using Confluent & AWS

A Fascinating Journey in Cheat Player Identification using Confluent and AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Unmasking Cheaters in the Virtual World

Welcome, gaming enthusiasts, to a gripping exploration of how innovative Confluent and AWS technologies and clever architecture are being deployed to unmask cheaters in the virtual world. In this blog, we will take you on an interactive journey through a sophisticated project that leverages cloud computing and real-time data processing to detect and prevent unfair gameplay.

Gaming has become more immersive than ever before, offering players thrilling experiences and breathtaking adventures. However, with the rise of online multiplayer games, cheating has also found its way into the gaming universe. Cheaters utilize various hacks and exploits to gain an unfair advantage over other players, disrupting the balance and integrity of the gameplay.

But fret not! Game developers and tech wizards have teamed up to devise a state-of-the-art system to catch these deceitful players and ensure a fair and enjoyable gaming environment for everyone.

High-Level Architecture: Unraveling the Mystery Behind Cheat Player Identification

Let us embark on our journey of exploring how we utilized the Confluent and AWS technologies to address the following real-time gaming cheat player identification use cases:

  • Use case 1: Detecting Unusual Fast Movement
  • Use case 2: Preventing Bug Exploits.

  • AWS Lambda and MySQL Instances as Producers

Our journey begins with the first building block of the cheat player identification system: AWS Lambda and MySQL instances. These intelligent producers generate data related to player stats and player account information, and real-time player data and store it in different topics for further analysis.

  • Topics: Organizing the Realm of Information

Think of topics as magical scrolls that contain information about players, their actions, and their performance. The “Player” topic houses real-time player data, including their position information, skillfully generated by AWS Lambda.

The “Player Stats” and “Account” topics hold historical performance data and player account information, respectively, enriching the analysis process.

  • KSQL Cluster: The Powerful of Real-Time Data Processing and Querying Engine

Enter the KSQL cluster – the heart of our cheat player detection system. This powerful engine aggregates and queries data from the four topics, bringing it all together for analysis. With real-time data processing, KSQL quickly identifies players exhibiting suspicious behavior.

  • Use Case 1 – Detecting Unusually Fast Movement

Prepare to be amazed as the KSQL cluster unleashes its magic on the data! For our first use case, we focus on detecting unusually fast movement. By retrieving player data and calculating rolling average speeds, the system swiftly identifies fast-moving players and stores the related data in a new topic called “Cheat Player-Travel Speed”.

  • Use Case 2 – Preventing Bug Exploits

Now, let us dive into the second exciting use case – preventing bug exploits. The KSQL cluster once again works its magic, this time tracking player positions and comparing them against known cheat positions in the lookup table. If players cross a cheat position, they are marked as cheaters. The data related to this use case is stored in a new topic called “Cheat Player-Bug Exploits”.

  • Player Stats: Embracing Fair Competition

Our quest does not end with catching cheaters! The KSQL cluster, ever diligent, gathers and processes player performance information from the “Player Stats” topic. These valuable insights, such as ranks and kill-to-death ratios, ensure fair competition among players, encouraging them to improve their skills and climb the ranks through hard work and dedication.

  • Amazon S3 and Quick Sight: Unveiling the Insights

Our journey reaches its thrilling climax with Amazon S3 and Quick Sight, the tools that bring the entire analysis to life. The enriched topics, “Cheat Player-Travel Speed,” “Cheat Player-Bug Exploits,” and “Player-Stats,” find their way to Amazon S3 Glacier via the “Amazon S3 sink connector.”

From the icy depths of the Glacier, the data emerges into the brilliant light of Quick Sight. With captivating visualizations and engaging insights, this dynamic duo presents a visual narrative of cheating players caught in the act and the triumph of fair gameplay.

Are You Ready to Identify the Cheat Players in Your Gaming Realm?

At iLink Digital, we are passionate about creating fair and enjoyable gaming experiences for players worldwide. Our cheat player identification system is just one example of how we leverage innovative technologies like Confluent and AWS to safeguard the integrity of virtual worlds.

Reach out to us! for a free consultation. Remember, when it comes to fair play, iLink Digital is your ally in the quest for gaming excellence. Let us level up together!

Amrutha Sista

Director – Data & AI practice


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About Author

Amrutha is a Director at the Data BU within iLink focusing on presales and enablement across the unit. In the past Amrutha has been responsible for data engineering and BI efforts on Databricks, Azure and Power BI for several industries like healthcare & retail. She is currently enabling the Confluent practice at iLink Digital and is responsible for Confluent workshop curation efforts alongside Confluent stakeholder. Amrutha is based out of Canada and is a Computer Science graduate. She is a GCP certified professional. She enjoys classical music and loves to go on hikes during her free time. 

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24th July 2023
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Comparing Microsoft Fabric SaaS to Azure Synapse Analytics PaaS 

Step into the future of data analytics with Microsoft Fabric, the game-changing SaaS analytics platform that is revolutionizing how businesses harness the power of their data. In this blog post, Let’s delve into the dynamic world of Microsoft Fabric, explore its advantages over Synapse Analytics, and highlight the key benefits of choosing a SaaS (Software as a Service) model. 

Microsoft Fabric: A SaaS Analytics Platform 

Microsoft Fabric stands out as a comprehensive SaaS analytics platform, delivering end-to-end business solutions. While built upon the robust foundation of the Power BI platform, Fabric also extends the capabilities of Azure Synapse Analytics, catering to diverse analytics workloads. 

Differentiating SaaS from PaaS 

To understand Microsoft Fabric’s significance as a SaaS product, it’s essential to distinguish it from Platform as a Service (PaaS).  PaaS allows users to create, operate, and maintain their applications in the cloud, while SaaS offers users access to software programs hosted on the internet without the need for infrastructure management. With SaaS, users benefit from hassle-free scalability, maintenance, and updates, paying only for the resources they consume. 

How do the above definitions apply to Microsoft Fabric? 

 

The table below further contrasts these two products and approaches: 

Area of Comparison  Synapse Analytics  Microsoft Fabric 
Target Users  Developers or users with technical knowledge.  Developers and end users can use it. Anyone without IT knowledge can start in minutes. UI looks like Power BI and Microsoft 365. 
Technical understanding  Some knowledge is required for the basic setup.  There is no requirement for technicalities Microsoft handles everything on setup. 
User controls  Data of the application can be managed by the customer.  Everything is managed by Microsoft. 
Access  Gets access to Synapse Studio for pipeline creation and runtime access for deployment.  All users get access including the end user.  
Scale  Admins must change the configuration to scale.  Scale up or down the processing power as we need. 
Security  Role-based access control (RBAC) to manage different aspects of Synapse Studio. Also, row/column/object level security is provided.  Hosted on Microsoft cloud infrastructure. OneSecurity layer manages access across all Fabric objects.  
Licensing  Serverless billing option. 1 to 3-year reserved instance licenses available for dedicated pools.  PAYGO option without long-term commitment, Reserved Instances can save money. On-demand scale-up and down feature saves money. 

The Advantages of Microsoft Fabric as an Integrated SaaS Product 

Microsoft Fabric’s SaaS approach offers numerous advantages: 

  • Simplicity: With Fabric, simplicity is key. From quick sign-up to rapid deployment, users can experience actual business benefits within minutes. There’s no need to worry about infrastructure procurement, setup, or maintenance. All the features and functions of Microsoft Fabric are conveniently accessible through a single web portal. 
  • Completeness: Microsoft Fabric fulfills all your analytics needs, providing end-to-end capabilities. From data integration to modeling, visualization, analysis, and AI/ML operations, Fabric empowers you to make data-driven decisions and scientific forecasts, giving your organization a competitive edge. 
  • Collaboration: Fabric facilitates seamless collaboration among teams involved in the analytics process. Data engineers, data warehousing experts, data scientists, analysts, and business users can easily work together on the same platform, sharing insights, data, and best practices. 
  • Governance:  With Microsoft Fabric, you can establish a single, reliable source of truth. Unified governance features enable you to control data quality, data security, privacy, compliance, and access, ensuring consistent and reliable data governance across your organization. 
  • Innovation: Microsoft Fabric keeps you at the forefront of innovation, leveraging the latest advancements from Microsoft and its partners. With built-in generative AI and language model services like Copilot, you can create groundbreaking AI experiences that you’d have to provision and set up separately in a PaaS environment. 
  • Openness: OneLake serves as the primary data lake based on open formats like Parquet and including interfaces with other cloud services like Amazon S3.

Ready to unlock the true potential of your data and accelerate your analytics strategy?  

Contact us now for a free data strategy briefing and discover how Microsoft Fabric can transform your business. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to revolutionize your data analytics and stay ahead of the competition. 

How Technology can help to Bolster Employee Engagement and Happiness
20th July 2023
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How Technology can help to Bolster Employee Engagement and Happiness

In our contemporary world, the boundary between work and personal life has become increasingly blurred, impacting employee engagement and happiness. This is largely due to the fast-paced advancements in technology, which have encroached upon employees’ free time and created significant stress. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 64% of employees identified their jobs as a major source of personal stress, even before the Covid-19 pandemic!

Against this backdrop, the pressing question is: How can we use technology to relieve employees’ stress rather than exacerbate it? As a technology leader, iLink recognizes the crucial role that technology can play in fostering a work culture that prioritizes employee engagement & happiness. By judiciously using cutting-edge tools and solutions, we can promote productivity, enhance collaboration, and achieve a healthy work-life balance. 

In this blog post, we delve into how harnessing technology can significantly elevate employee happiness and engagement.

Understanding the Role of Technology in Employee Engagement & Happiness

Before we look into the various strategies, it’s crucial to understand why it’s important to use technology to boost employee happiness. Businesses have an ethical obligation to empower their employees to strike a balance between their professional and personal lives. Happier, healthier employees are also more productive, capable of more focused attention and problem-solving, which ultimately benefits the organization.

Flexible Work Arrangements

With the help of cloud-based technology and secure networks, organizations can offer flexible work arrangements to their employees. Tools like VPNs, cloud servers, and cybersecurity solutions support remote work, flexible hours, and telecommuting. This flexibility can dramatically decrease commute time and related stress, thus allowing employees to manage their work and personal lives more effectively. 

The Owl Labs survey indicates that employees with these flexible options reported a greater level of job satisfaction, with 71% saying they are content with their current position as opposed to 55% of on-site employees.  This highlights the power of technology in achieving a balance between professional obligations and personal life.

Communication and Collaboration Tools

Tools such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Trello facilitate real-time communication and collaboration. They break down geographical barriers and enable seamless team coordination, fostering a sense of camaraderie and connection. These platforms not only enhance workflow but also contribute to creating a positive work environment. According to a McKinsey poll, 77% of participants thought that team communication and decision-making were improved by the use of digital collaboration tools.  

Wellness and Fitness Apps

Wellness and fitness apps like Calm, Headspace, or MyFitnessPal promote both physical and mental well-being. They provide resources for guided meditation, personalized workout routines, stress management tools, and reminders for taking regular breaks. Alongside, IoT devices like wearables or smart task trackers can assist in workload management. These technologies empower employees to take control of their well-being, promoting a healthier work lifestyle that directly contributes to a happier workforce.

Learning and Development Opportunities with AR-VR

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies present a new horizon in corporate learning and development. AR provides real-time instructions for hands-on training, while VR simulates high-stakes situations for risk-free practice. Paired with online platforms, AR and VR foster self-paced, comprehensive learning, enhancing career growth and personal satisfaction, marking a transformative step in corporate learning strategies.

Automating Repetitive Tasks and Performance Management Systems

By harnessing the power of AI/ ML, businesses can automate mundane, repetitive tasks. This not only increases efficiency but also allows employees to concentrate on more creative, high-value tasks, enhancing their job satisfaction. Along with automation, technology-driven performance management systems offer regular, real-time feedback, align personal goals with organizational targets, and provide platforms for recognizing employees’ achievements, boosting employee morale and happiness.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

Digital EAP platforms provide a variety of support services such as confidential counseling, mental health resources, and wellness guidance. These resources, accessible from anywhere at any time, help employees to navigate personal challenges, improving their overall well-being. In an era where mental health is gaining increased recognition, these platforms play a pivotal role in promoting employee happiness.

By effectively harnessing these tech-driven solutions, organizations can create an environment that not only boosts productivity but also promotes employee happiness.

iLink Digital: Your Tech Partner for Employee Engagement & Happiness 

At iLink, we deeply value our employees’ well-being and the balance between their work and personal life. Our commitment extends beyond words; it is evident in our initiatives focused on mental wellness and regular engagement activities. With a wealth of resources and years of experience, iLink stands as a leading partner for businesses aiming for growth and innovation.

Choose iLink for a future of a balanced workplace.

17th July 2023
by

Why is Beak the Ultimate AI-Based Solution for Your IT Infrastructure Challenges

Over the past few years, the complexity of IT systems has grown rapidly. The main issues that businesses are currently facing are IT Security and Availability. BYOD regulations and the ability to work from anywhere create further challenges. More than 75% of businesses reportedly have high-risk vulnerabilities on their networks but are unaware of them.

To address these concerns, iLink developed Beak—an cloud-based platform that offers continuous identification, monitoring, and optimization of your entire IT infrastructure. By entrusting Beak with these crucial tasks, your company can focus on its core operations while benefiting from the agility to adapt to ever-changing security policies.

What is Beak?

Beak is an observability platform and AI-based management solution that can be integrated with your on-premises, cloud, or hybrid IT.  It enables businesses to find, keep an eye on, secure, and manage their own IT infrastructure. Organizations can successfully manage and monitor their IT infrastructure using Beak’s artificial intelligence capabilities.

The popularity of AI-based management solutions is increasing as businesses look to boost productivity, automate processes, and learn more about their IT infrastructure. By 2024, 50% of businesses will use an AIOps platform to support IT operations management according to Gartner analysis. 

Due to the complexity of contemporary IT infrastructures, observability platforms like Beak have experienced tremendous growth in popularity in recent years. MarketsandMarkets predicts that between 2021 and 2026, the observability market will expand at a compound yearly growth rate (CAGR) of over 20%. 

How does Beak work to enhance IT Environment Analysis and Optimization?

The platform offers tools for gathering and processing information from numerous sources, including servers, networks, storage devices, and software applications. The performance, availability, and security of the IT environment can then be studied using this data. With the aid of artificial intelligence (AI), Beak can automatically spot anomalies, anticipate prospective problems, and provide suggestions for proactive infrastructure optimization. IT departments may streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce downtime by utilizing machine learning and sophisticated analytics.

How does Beak work to enhance IT Environment Analysis and Optimization?

The beak also offers reporting capabilities, allowing IT professionals to make data-driven decisions that can help to optimize resource use and boost overall efficiency by assisting in the identification of bottlenecks, problem-solving, and problem-solving processes.

Features that make Beak an Exception!

Beak completely connects all your IT resources and offers pertinent contextual data throughout your troubleshooting process. It encompasses more than just DevOps teams, promotes resilience, and provides an improved customer experience. Beak uses all your data to prevent blind spots and gets to the answers faster with clearer visibility and access.

Features that make Beak an Exception!

AI-based BiObs

AI-based BiObs platforms gather data from diverse sources within the organization, such as applications, databases, logs, infrastructure, and external systems. They integrate and consolidate this data to provide a holistic view of the business. AI-based BiObs such as Beak platforms employ machine learning and statistical models to analyze data and extract meaningful insights. These analytics capabilities help organizations identify trends, correlations, and root causes, enabling data-driven decision-making and performance optimization.

Client Management (MSP) 

To proactively discover possible problems, performance snags, or security vulnerabilities inside a client’s IT infrastructure, Beak leverages MSPs to implement monitoring tools and methodologies. To keep the system healthy and reduce disruptions, they take preventive measures such as deploying patches, updates, and system optimizations.

Site/Group Management 

Beak holds that defining key performance indicators (KPIs) and creating a strategic plan are the first steps in effective site or group administration. This includes determining the site’s or group’s goals, objectives, and scope. It is essential to track and evaluate the site’s or group’s performance to gauge progress, pinpoint problem areas, and celebrate achievements. This calls for performing performance reviews, giving team members constructive criticism, and reviewing KPIs on a regular basis—all of which Beak assists you with.

Incident Management System Audit 

Beak supports you in clearly defining the audit’s goals, which may include evaluating the efficiency of incident response procedures, pinpointing areas for improvement, ensuring compliance with rules and regulations, or confirming that the incident management system is in line with organizational objectives.

Agentless and Agent-based Monitoring  

The organization’s unique needs, environment, and resources will determine whether to use agentless monitoring or agent-based monitoring. For its simplicity, scalability, and minimum influence on the monitored devices, agentless monitoring is frequently preferred. Agent-based monitoring is preferred because it can monitor a variety of systems and applications and offers real-time insights. Beak uses both methods to help you advance as much as possible.

AD Authentication & Authorization 

Beak ensures that only authorized users have access to the resources they require while upholding a safe and controlled environment by combining authentication and authorization in Active Directory. This makes access control throughout the network simpler and helps to enforce security regulations and protect sensitive data.

Third-party Connectors 

Beak employs Connectors from third parties to offer pre-built features or APIs that allow data interchange and communication across various software systems. They often provide a collection of connectors designed for particular platforms, applications, or services. Different integration methods, like point-to-point connections, event-driven communication, or data synchronization, are supported by these connectors.

Why choose Beak?

Because it’s time to bid adieu to confuse IT infrastructure. Beak provides a comprehensive platform that organizes your infrastructure, reduces complexity, and frees up your team to concentrate on what matters most.  

Beak Platform Highlights

Beak’s intelligent automation capabilities streamline operations and reduce manual labor, freeing up valuable time for more innovative and strategic projects. With its AI-based Observability, false alerts can be anticipated and suppressed, ensuring accurate and actionable insights. Leveraging a time-series database with extensive historical data, Beak utilizes automation to enhance its analysis, providing powerful and informed recommendations.

Unleash the Power of Seamless Infrastructure with Beak and iLink Digital!

As your business grows, so does the demand placed on your IT infrastructure. Beak provides scalable solutions that adapt to your changing needs, ensuring easy expansion and future-proofing your company. Utilise Beak with iLink to the fullest extent feasible to take advantage of iLink Digital’s twenty years of experience and knowledge in IT services and solutions.

Read more or schedule a demo now!

Thangaraj Petchiappan

Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at iLink Digital

Author

Thangaraj Petchiappan leads the company’s digital transformation initiatives for Fortune 500 clients. He focuses on enhancing infrastructure automation and integrating advanced bot solutions across various industries, including healthcare, oil & gas, manufacturing, telecom, retail, and NPO sectors. As the founder of the AI-Powered Cybersecurity iLab in Texas, he spearheads the development of innovative AI and ML solutions. Additionally, Thangaraj shares his expertise as a keynote speaker, cloud advocate, and coach, offering guidance on digital transformation and technology leadership.
MS Fabric
12th July 2023
by

Exploring Microsoft Fabric and its Impact on Power BI 

Exploring Microsoft Fabric and
its Impact on Power BI 

Exploring Microsoft Fabric and its Impact on Power BI 

Power BI has solidified its position as a top-tier leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for analytics and BI platforms through continually listening to users and enhancing and expanding features. With its robust capabilities, Power BI empowers users to effortlessly convert raw data into compelling visualizations and interactive reports. Building upon this success, Microsoft has now unveiled Fabric, an all-in-one SaaS analytics solution that seamlessly integrates data and analytics tools across the entire data lifecycle into a single, comprehensive platform. Additionally, Copilot in Power BI is an AI-powered assistant to help users create more effective and efficient reports and gain automated insights.

In this entry, we will explore what the release of Fabric means for organizations already using Power BI, how they can help expand users’ skills, and the impact on costs.  

About Microsoft Fabric 

Image credit: Microsoft 

Microsoft Fabric introduces a groundbreaking approach to data analytics, designed to tackle the complexities of modern data landscapes. By leveraging the power of artificial intelligence (AI), Fabric enables businesses to gain actionable insights and make data-driven decisions with ease. 

With the elimination of the reliance on data and analytics services from multiple suppliers, you can now execute data integration, data engineering, data storage, data warehousing, real-time analytics, data science, business intelligence and governance on a single unified, AI-powered, SaaS platform, that’s the beauty of Fabric. 

I’m already using Power BI. Do I have to migrate to Fabric? 

No. There is no migration required. Fabric capabilities are built into the Power BI experience, but if you choose to continue using Power BI exactly as you are today, you can do so with no impacts to cost or resources. Power BI remains the core tool for data analysis and visualization, empowering users with its capabilities. However, Fabric offers so many new features that we highly recommend trying them out while they are free in public preview.  

How will Fabric make the Power BI experience better? 

New features! While Power BI continues to thrive, Microsoft Fabric introduces some exciting new capabilities that will enhance and simplify your data analytics journey. Some of these are: 

Feature #1: Direct Lake mode 

By loading data into Fabric Lakehouse tables instead of importing into a Power BI dataset, you can take advantage of the speed of import with the convenience of DirectQuery’s real-time updates. This allows you to make changes to the data in the Lakehouse or Warehouse and instantly see them in Power BI reports, without needing to refresh, but at lightning-fast speeds. 

Feature #2: Dataflows Gen2 

You might be wondering how you get the data into the Lakehouse to utilize Direct Lake mode. You can use Power Query in a Dataflow (Gen2) in Fabric to load the data to a Lakehouse, just as you would traditionally load to a Power BI dataset. In fact, the new dataflows enable appending data in addition to overwriting every time it runs. But dataflows aren’t the only way to load data into the Lakehouse – there are now many more tools at your disposal, such as data pipelines and Spark jobs.  

Feature #3: Robust Data Engineering 

With the addition of data factory pipelines, Spark jobs, and notebooks to the toolbelt, it’s now possible for different personas to collaborate on ingesting and transforming data in a warehouse or lakehouse. With Power Query alone, for example, we could not delete a subset of data from a dataset. With these other tools at your disposal, you can make updates to data in the lakehouse that will be immediately reflected in the Power BI dataset(s) connected to it, taking advantage of Direct Lake mode. By combining different tools and allowing developers to use what they’re comfortable with, you can more quickly and easily get your data in the form it needs to be in. 

Feature #4: SQL Endpoint for the Lakehouse 

Now that we’ve covered the quantum leap forward with Direct Lake and you’re convinced that a Fabric Lakehouse is a beautiful place for your Power BI data model to live, you can also make use of the SQL endpoint that comes with the Lakehouse. The (read-only) SQL endpoint allows you to query the delta tables in the Lakehouse (which are essentially the tables in the semantic model) with T-SQL. Many analysts are more comfortable with SQL than with DAX and this gives them the freedom to write exploratory queries against the data in addition to creating visuals or Excel pivot tables. And for those who aren’t comfortable with SQL or DAX, there is a visual query builder to make it even easier. 

Feature #5: Data Modeling on the Web 

For those who have been wishing for Power BI Desktop for the Mac, this is the answer. It’s now possible to develop complete semantic models and reports on the web without requiring a Desktop. This does not mean that Power BI Desktop will stop receiving updates and improvements. In fact, at Microsoft Build we were given a glimpse of features coming to Desktop soon including the ability to create calculation groups, an integrated DAX query view that provides measure dependency lineage, and Copilot for DAX.  

Feature #6: Copilot for Power BI

With Copilot, Power BI users can streamline the report creation process significantly. Copilot’s intelligent suggestions and automated insights enable users to quickly explore data, identify key trends, and create compelling visualizations. Copilot’s AI capabilities help users explore advanced visualization techniques and suggest appropriate chart types, layouts, and color schemes convey insights in the most impactful way. Its AI-powered features extend beyond report creation. It can also assist users in automating data analysis tasks. By leveraging Copilot, users can perform complex calculations, apply statistical functions, and identify outliers or patterns within their data. By incorporating Copilot into your workflow, users can enhance their ability to analyze and present data effectively, saving valuable time and resources.   

Feature #7: Git Integration 

With Microsoft Fabric, Power BI users can integrate their development workflows with version control systems, such as Git. This enables efficient collaboration among team members and facilitates seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines. By utilizing the version control capabilities, users can track changes, manage branches, and roll back to previous versions, ensuring the integrity and stability of their Power BI assets. 

 

Feature #8: Data Activator

Without resulting in action, reports and dashboards are just something to look at and admire. Data insights should make it clear what actions need to be taken to improve outcomes and with Data Activator, Fabric is making it even easier to integrate actions with insights. Data Activator provides a no-code method to find patterns or build triggers on your data and set in motion actions through notifications, alerts, or Power Automate Flows, for example.

What will Fabric cost? How does licensing work?  

Microsoft Fabric Capacities (F SKUs) offer developers the ability to create and share Fabric content across workloads through the familiar interface of Power BI Workspaces. With various resource tiers for memory and computing power, you can choose the best SKU for your application. F SKUs offer flexible usage without any time commitment.   

For customers accustomed to Power BI pricing, Fabric pricing will look very familiar. If you want to use Fabric features, you’ll need to purchase an F SKU (see table below) either in addition to a Power BI SKU or instead of a Power BI SKU. In the table below, an F64 is equivalent to a P1, and this is the level provided in the current Fabric trials.  

Additionally, you’ll still need Power BI pro licenses (or Premium Per User) for developers who will be publishing or sharing Power BI content (but not Fabric workloads). 

There are some differences between F SKUs and P SKUs, including: 

    • F SKUs are currently available in the Azure portal in a pay-as-you-go model. A reserved instance is similar to the equivalent P SKUs.  

    • F SKUs include Power BI workloads, but not vice versa. 

    • A SKUs (embedded) are still available, but only for Power BI. 

    • OneLake storage will need to be purchased. An example storage rate is provided as $0.023 per GB per month in US West 2. 

Determining the best capacity for your scenario can be a challenge, and a pricing calculator will be coming soon. There are a variety of combinations of licensing that are available for different situations. For example, a smaller organization might find that a combination of PPU licenses and a lower F capacity may be the best fit, while a larger organization may need more robust F capacities along with Power BI Pro licenses. 

Conclusion 

Microsoft Fabric is the biggest leap forward for Power BI since it was first released. Reach out to us at iLink Digital for a free consultation and discover how our expertise can transform your analytics strategy by incorporating Fabric. 

Stephanie Bruno

Stephanie Bruno

Business Intelligence Architect


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About Author

With 10+ years of experience, Stephanie drives efficiencies by optimizing tabular models, migrating AAS cubes to Power BI datasets, and implementing CI/CD processes. She collaborates with cross-functional teams, presents actionable insights, and designs data models for key stakeholders. Her expertise and passion for business intelligence contribute to iLink Systems’ success in data-driven decision-making.

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10th July 2023
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Microsoft Fabric: Unleashing the Power of Next-generation Data Analytics with AI Capabilities

Microsoft Fabric: Unleashing the Power of Next-generation Data Analytics with AI Capabilities

Microsoft Fabric: Unleashing the Power of Next-generation Data Analytics with AI Capabilities

In today’s era of advanced technologies and increasing data volumes, businesses confront significant challenges in managing and extracting insights from their data. Microsoft Fabric emerges as a powerful solution, providing data analytics and storage capabilities that empower organizations to unlock the true potential of their data. In this blog post, we will delve into the world of Microsoft Fabric, understanding its core features and benefits. 

What is Microsoft Fabric? 

Fabric is Microsoft’s new, comprehensive Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) analytics platform covering everything from data ingestion to data science, real-time analytics, and business intelligence. Fabric provides comprehensive services in one location, including data lake, data engineering, and data integration. 

The All-in-One Analytics Platform 

Microsoft Fabric is a unified platform that combines Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Power BI into a single location. Gone are the days of setting up and maintaining resources individually, as Fabric streamlines the process, allowing users to set up an end-to-end analytics solution swiftly. 

In the realm of data analytics, Microsoft Fabric brings forth a remarkable integration that brings numerous benefits to the table. Let’s explore the advantages this integration offers:         

  • Wide Spectrum of Deeply Integrated Analytics 

Fabric offers a comprehensive range of deeply integrated analytics capabilities. Covering data ingestion, data science, real-time analytics, and business intelligence, Fabric simplifies and enhances your analytics journey. 

  • Shared Experiences: Recognizable and Easy to Learn 

Step into a world of shared experiences that transcend boundaries. Microsoft Fabric strives to create shared experiences that are both recognizable and easy to grasp. With consistent design patterns and intuitive workflows, users can navigate the platform seamlessly.  

  • Accessibility and Reusability 

Unlock the power of accessible and reusable assets within Microsoft Fabric. Developers rejoice as Microsoft Fabric offers a convenient way to access and reuse assets. By centralizing resources within the platform, developers can effortlessly leverage existing components, saving time and effort. 

  • Preserving Data Integrity with Unified Data Lake 

Imagine a data ecosystem where you can keep your data in its original location while leveraging your preferred analytics tools. Microsoft Fabric’s unified data lake makes it a reality. No more data duplication or complex migrations, just seamless integration and data integrity. 

  • Centralized Administration and Governance 

Say goodbye to fragmented governance. Microsoft Fabric provides centralized administration and governance across all experiences. Seamlessly manage access, permissions, and security protocols, ensuring a consistent and secure analytics environment. 

Components of Microsoft Fabric 

Microsoft Fabric comprises a range of industry-leading experiences tailored to specific personas and tasks. Let’s explore the key components of Fabric: 

  • Synapse Data Engineering: Comprising “Lakehouse,” Notebooks, and Spark Job Definitions, this component focuses on data engineering and processing within Fabric. 
  • Data Factory (Data Integration): Seamlessly creating data pipelines, Data Factory allows users to integrate and transform data using the power of Fabric. 
  • OneLake: As the backbone of Microsoft Fabric, OneLake acts as a centralized data lake technology. Handling structured and unstructured data under one roof, OneLake simplifies data management and storage. 
  • Synapse Data Science: Fabric provides comprehensive data science capabilities, empowering users to generate and deploy models effectively. Synapse Data Science combines Synapse ML skills and Azure Machine Learning for enhanced productivity. 
  • Synapse Data Warehouse: An evolution of the Dedicated SQL pool, Synapse Data Warehouse offers scalable and high-performance data storage within Fabric. 
  • Real-Time Analytics: With an evolution of Azure Data Explorer, Fabric enables real-time analytics, including “Event streams,” a tool like Azure Stream Analytics’ no-code editor. 
  • Power BI: As a leading global Business Intelligence platform, Power BI provides intuitive access to all data within Fabric, empowering business owners to make data-driven decisions effortlessly. 
  • Purview: To ensure efficient data governance and management, Fabric incorporates Purview. Users can explore and search for artifacts, and the Data Catalogue of Purview can scan all Microsoft Fabric artifacts, expanding beyond Power BI.  

The Lakehouse Design 

Microsoft Fabric adopts the Data Lakehouse design, taking it to new heights with its ambitious Mesh-like approach. The introduction of “Domains” and “Workspaces” within Fabric, enabled by OneLake, allows for structured data organization and collaboration. This unique feature opens exciting possibilities for customers and paves the way for a more streamlined and efficient data management process. 

Reach Us and Avoid Missing Out on the Data Analytics Revolution! 

Don’t miss out on the data analytics revolution! Reach out to us at iLink Digital and unlock the magic of Microsoft Fabric.  

Contact us for a free consultation and discover how our expertise can transform your analytics strategy. Don’t wait, seize this opportunity to stay ahead of the competition. 

Venkataramana Besthavemula

Principal Architect – Data BU

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About Author

With over 20 years of experience, Venkat is an accomplished senior professional who excels in managing teams and driving success in Data, Analytics, Cloud Computing, and Digital Transformation. He plays a pivotal role in shaping strategy and architecture, transforming ad-hoc assessments into scalable software solutions. His expertise lies in enhancing the effectiveness and usability of analytics platforms by collaborating closely with stakeholders and strategic partners.

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