1.
Microsoft Cloud BI with Windows Azure:
What’s Possible?
September 11, 2013

2.
2
Andy Tegethoff
Andy is a Microsoft BI architect at Perficient and a senior-level
consultant with more than 12 years of experience exploring,
planning and building cost-effective software and process-oriented
solutions for challenging business problems. A Microsoft Certified
IT Professional (MCITP) for SQL Server 2008 BI, his solutions
integrate elements such as data warehousing, dashboards, and
broad-based reporting in order to deliver vital, actionable
information at every level of the enterprise.
Our Speaker

3.
• Cloud Computing
• Cloud BI
• Microsoft Cloud BI overview
• Q&A
Agenda

4.
Cloud Computing
Why move to the Cloud?
• Reduced organizational IT costs
• Built-in scalability and reliability
• High availability
• Maximum “futureproofing”
This applies to Business Intelligence solutions, too.
• Addresses several key concerns in DW/BI planning/development
• Reduces significant hardware costs and associated planning effort
• Potentially shortens implementation time

5.
Cloud Computing
Common Cloud Service Models
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
• Platform as a Service (PaaS)
• Software as a Service (SaaS)

6.
Cloud BI
Business Intelligence in the Cloud
• The principles of Cloud Computing applied to BI solutions
• Offers benefits of scalability, stability, reduced cost – drastically
reducing hardware concerns and overhead
• Need to be aware of some “gotchas” (i.e. data loading
complications, data size boundaries, associated costs)

7.
Cloud BI
Business Intelligence in the Cloud
Public Cloud Delivery Options
PaaS
BI development
platforms/
packages
IaaS
Hosted virtual
DB servers
PaaS
“Build Your
Own” platforms
SaaS
“BI as a
Service” apps
• Deploy your own
solution in the cloud
• Low upfront costs
(licensing of VM
software, etc.)
• No cloud-based
horizontal scaling;
must be done in
application and DB
architecture
• Cloud-based platform
services
• Low cost, pay-per-use
• Allows/requires
custom development
to some extent
• Prepackaged BI solutions
• “Easy” management and
implementation
• No design flexibility;
custom apps are off the
table

8.
Cloud BI
Business Intelligence in the Cloud
Other Delivery Options
PaaS
BI development
platforms/
packages
Private Cloud Hybrid Cloud
• Offers the most
control, but also
greater cost
• Design your own
solution, manage your
own cloud
• An option if your
organization already
owns and maintains a
private cloud
• Public/Private cloud
combination
• Leverage the public
cloud for “spikes” in
either availability or
processing
• More complicated
solution to accomplish
load balancing

9.
Cloud BI with Windows Azure
Azure Data and Analytics
• Advanced toolset; thought leadership in cloud
• Also in the marketplace…
– “BYOLicense” Cognos in Amazon EC2 VM
– SAP BI OnDemand; file-based reporting with no Data Warehouse
• Azure PaaS offerings are fully (public) cloud-based
– Azure SQL Database/Reporting – “SQL Server + SSRS in the Cloud”
– HDInsight – Big Data/Hadoop Cloud Service
• IaaS offerings can be cloud-based or “hybrid”
– Azure VM-based SQL Server 2012 and SharePoint servers
– Source data either in the cloud or on-premises

10.
Azure Platform as a Service
Azure SQL Database
• “SQL Server in the cloud“
– Formerly known as SQL Azure
– “Database as a Service” – all elements are cloud-based
– Limitations around security and certain other functions
• Only uses SQL Authorization; No SSAS, SSIS
– Value-adds:
• PaaS benefits (horizontal scalability, hardware cost savings)
• Connectivity with on-premise SQL Server
Azure SQL Reporting
• “SQL Server Reporting Services in the cloud”
– SSRS-style reporting against Azure SQL Database(s)
• Limitations: Only uses SQL Database authorization; SQL Database the
only source

11.
Azure Platform as a Service
HDInsight
• Azure’s Big Data option - currently in Preview
• Wraps an Apache Hadoop implementation
• Uses Azure Tables for storage (NoSql storage option)
• Excellent option for integrating Big Data into existing applications, BI
solutions, reporting environments
How does it work?
– Get an Azure Storage account and set up an HDInsight cluster (account cost
relates directly to size of cluster)
– Upload data using native JavaScript, Hadoop command line, Sqoop connection
from SQL Server/Azure SQL Database, or a raft of 3rd party tools
– Connect and analyze data using SQL Server and/or Excel via ODBC, an Integrated
application(s) via Hadoop.NET, or Azure SQL Database/SQL Reporting via Sqoop.

12.
Azure Infrastructure as a Service
SQL Server 2012 BI in the Cloud
• Azure VM
– Only path to fully-functional SQL Server BI in the cloud
• Only way to run Analysis Services or set up SharePoint integrated
SSRS in Azure
– Link to existing AD network, plus enable virtual network
– SharePoint
• Full-featured edition needed? Run in VM!
• Certain editions of SharePoint and Office 365/SharePoint online offer BI
functionality
• Two Options for implementation
– Build VM offline, upload VHD to Azure
– Build VM directly in Azure, provision/install/configure VHD in cloud
• Pre-built VMs provided by Microsoft – including a BI server

13.
Cloud Front-End
Office 365 and SharePoint Online
• Cloud-based offering of Office applications
including Excel and SharePoint
• Can provide front-end for Microsoft BI
(cloud-based or on-premise*)
• BUT some versions provide BI functionality, some do not!
– SharePoint/Excel BI features not available with O365D (private-cloud) edition
– The O365 E3/A3/G3 plans and SharePoint Online Plan 2 include BI components
– Note that PerformancePoint Services, which is used for dashboards and
scorecards, is not available in any edition

14.
Cloud Front-End
Power BI
• Brand new cloud-based self-service BI offering
• Suite of powerful self-service BI apps via a
familiar interface: Excel
• Initial offering for SharePoint Online/Office 365 only
– Dedicated mobile/Windows 8 app (to be available across Windows
ecosystem)
– Supports Windows 7 and Mac users via browser
• Visualizations rendered using HTML 5
– Standard browser compatibility for internet, mobile, tablet, etc.
– Mobile Microsoft BI!

15.
Power BI Components
Power Pivot
• Tool for creating and customizing flexible
data models within Excel
Power View
• Tool for creating interactive charts, graphs and
other visual representations of data

16.
Power BI Components
Power Map
• Formerly known as “GeoFlow“
• 3D data visualization tool for mapping, exploring and interacting with
geographic and temporal data

17.
Power BI Components
Power Query
• Formerly known as "Data Explorer“
• Easily search and access public and organization data within Excel
• Perform basic transformations to join data to your PowerPivot model(s)

18.
Power BI Components
Power BI Sites
• SharePoint Online sharing of Power BI content
via new site type
• Reports can be set to refresh data on schedule
or on-demand
• Power BI sites can be browsed from mobile device or
desktop/laptop
• Add reports to mobile favorites to view on tablet or smartphone

19.
Summary
With Azure, SQL Server 2012, and Office 365 you can:
• Implement PaaS or IaaS solutions in the cloud
• Run a full-fledged SQL Server BI Solution via Azure VMs
• Host Big Data in the cloud and integrate it into existing on-premise
solutions via HDInsight
• Build great BI visualizations in the cloud with a familiar Excel
interface – and even show them for mobile users!
But keep an eye on:
• Security concerns
• Maintenance needs
• Licensing
• Integration between on-premises and other Microsoft cloud offerings

20.
Perficient is a leading information technology consulting firm serving clients throughout
North America.
We help clients implement business-driven technology solutions that integrate business
processes, improve worker productivity, increase customer loyalty and create a more
agile enterprise to better respond to new business opportunities.
About Perficient

21.
• Founded in 1997
• Public, NASDAQ: PRFT
• 2012 revenue of $327 million
• Major market locations throughout North America
• Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fairfax,
Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Northern California, Philadelphia, Southern
California, St. Louis and Toronto
• Global delivery centers in China, Europe and India
• ~2,000 colleagues
• Dedicated solution practices
• ~85% repeat business rate
• Alliance partnerships with major technology vendors
• Multiple vendor/industry technology and growth awards
Perficient Profile

22.
Business Solutions
• Business Intelligence
• Business Process Management
• Customer Experience and CRM
• Enterprise Performance Management
• Enterprise Resource Planning
• Experience Design (XD)
• Management Consulting
Technology Solutions
• Business Integration/SOA
• Cloud Services
• Commerce
• Content Management
• Custom Application Development
• Education
• Information Management
• Mobile Platforms
• Platform Integration
• Portal & Social
Our Solutions Expertise

23.
Our Microsoft Practice

24.
A nationwide Microsoft BI practice offering both:
• Strategic Engagements…
• Strategy Assessments
• Program Mentoring
• Tactical Engagements
• End-to-End Implementations
• Current state evaluations
• Proof of concept projects
BI Expertise

25.
Customized
Microsoft
Training for IT
Pros & End
Users
bit.ly/1cy8WV5
10.15 Agile BI:
How to Deliver
More Value in
Less Time
bit.ly/17lsd7H
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