Can Fabric support real‑time data needs?

Yes. Stream ingestion, event processing, and historical analytics can coexist, enabling real‑time dashboards and predictive applications without disrupting operational systems.

What built‑in security capabilities does Fabric offer?

Microsoft Fabric includes: - Centralised security policy definition - Industry‑leading security tools - Data‑level permissions - Network security - Tenant protection - Automatic sensitivity labelling and data classification through Microsoft Purview

How does Fabric support the Medallion Architecture?

Fabric enables the ingestion of raw data into a Bronze Lakehouse, refined and enriched data into Silver, and fully modelled reporting‑ready data into Gold repositories. These layers help ensure data quality, governance, and performance across an organisation's reporting estate.

OneLake is Fabric’s central storage layer. It allows multiple interfaces (Lakehouse, Warehouse, Direct Lake) to use the same underlying data without duplication, reducing cost and improving consistency.

Does Fabric support real-time or near-real-time reporting?

Yes. Fabric supports: - Direct Lake for high‑performance near‑real‑time analytics - DirectQuery for operational dashboards - Real‑time analytics where supported by source systems

How does Fabric improve governance and security

Fabric integrates with Microsoft Entra (Azure AD), enabling an organisation to: - Implement role‑based access - Apply Row‑Level Security (RLS) - Control workspace‑level permissions - Manage data endorsements

What is Decision Intelligence (DI)

Decision Intelligence (DI) improves business outcomes by modeling, digitizing, and optimizing how corporate decisions are made. DI explicitly bridges the gap between data insights and concrete corporate actions.

How does Decision Intelligence differ from traditional Business Intelligence (BI)?

Business Intelligence (BI) answers "What happened?" and "Why did it happen?", visualising historical data. Decision Intelligence (DI) answers "What should we do next?" and "What will happen if we take this action?" by mapping data directly to operational consequences.

How do Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) fit into Decision Intelligence?

Machine Learning (ML) serves as a predictive component within the wider Decision Intelligence (DI) workflow. While a standard ML model might predict a single data link (e.g., winter coats approaching the spring season”), DI wraps that prediction inside business rules and financial trade-offs to decide the best course of action (e.g., “Should we discount it globally by 50% to clear it" or "Should be offer targeted discounts of 25% to high-loyalty customers near stores holding stock?”).

What are the key components of a Decision Intelligence Platform (DIP)?

__Decision Modeling Tools:__ To visually map human or machine choice logic. __Composite Analytics:__ A mix of deterministic business rules, graph technology, and machine learning. __Orchestration Engine:__ Software to execute and distribute decisions across systems. __Feedback Loops:__ Infrastructure to track actual outcomes and retrain models.

Microsoft Fabric Consultancy

Microsoft Fabric Consulting Services

PTR is a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Data & AI and Azure offering a comprehensive data analytics consultancy and training service. We support clients with new implementations in Microsoft Fabric or help them migrate from legacy Azure and on-premise solutions.

We deliver a mentoring, collaborative style of consultancy to ensure you get the best analytics platform in the most cost-effective way, keeping your team firmly in the driving seat. Our consultants leverage decades of implementation experience to assist you with data discovery, strategy development, and solution design.

You can learn more about our migration frameworks or register your interest for a free one hour Microsoft fabric Migration consultation or to find out more about our Microsoft Fabric consultation services.

What Is Microsoft Fabric?

Microsoft Fabric is a unified data platform that brings together essential components of analytics into one environment. It includes tools for data integration, data engineering, data science, real-time analytics, and business intelligence. With features like OneLake - a unified data lake for the entire organisation - and browser-based development capabilities, Fabric simplifies workflows and reduces the need for multiple tools. This makes it a strong option for organisations aiming to streamline their data operations and improve insights.

Would You Like To Have All Your Analytics Components In One Place?

Microsoft Fabric is an evolution of several existing Microsoft analytics products, consolidated into a single administrative environment and licensing model which makes licensing, development, and administration much simpler.

Microsoft Fabric offers the perfect Decision Intelligence (DI) Platform and Infrastructure, offering all the services and tools to help you deliver improved decision making across your organisation.

Getting started with Microsoft Fabric might seem a little daunting but with some hand holding and support you can be up and running in Fabric fairly quickly.

Fabric Infrastructure Overview

The diagram below shows the layers of the Microsoft Fabric infrastructure - everything from data lake to data warehouse to ELT pipelines to semantic modelling to AI and ML all in one place and working together seamlessly.

Microsoft Fabric was launched November 2023 and we at PTR have been on the Fabric journey from day 1, successfully navigating an emerging data analytics platform as it moved from preview to production release, and migrating clients from Azure Synapse and SQL Database infrastructure to Microsoft Fabric.

As with any new infrastructure it has been a journey with a number of hurdles to overcome as the platform developed, but the journey has certainly been worth it, to be able to deliver fully integrated BI solutions to our clients and a much simpler licensing and cost framework. Microsoft Fabric might not be the right choice for you right now, but if you need a little help to determine if you should be considering a move to Fabric in the short or long term you might be interested to hear that we offer a free BI data strategy and platform review service to help you explore how your current data practices can be optimised to better support your organisational goals and take advantage of new trends, platforms and services such as Microsoft Fabric.

Is Microsoft Fabric Right for Your Organisation?

Choosing the right data platform depends on your organisation's current needs and future goals. Microsoft Fabric offers a range of features, including:

Unified Analytics Environment: Integrates data engineering, integration, and reporting tools into one platform.
Improved Collaboration: Shared datasets and semantic models enable teams to work together more effectively.
Scalability: Fabric capacities support larger models and high-performance analytics workloads.
Accessibility: Browser-based development eliminates the need for desktop tools, making it easier for teams to adopt.

However, not every organisation will immediately benefit from migrating to Fabric. Our consultancy services include a thorough review of your current data estate, BI components, and future aspirations to determine whether Fabric is the right fit for you.

Comparing Microsoft Fabric to Other Platforms

Microsoft Fabric vs Power BI

While Power BI focuses on data visualisation and reporting, Microsoft Fabric extends its capabilities to include data integration, engineering, and governance. Key differences include:

Dataflows and Datasets: Fabric offers automated data collection and transformation processes, along with shared semantic models for multiple reports.
Larger Model Support: Fabric allows for larger models while maintaining accessibility for users with standard Pro licenses.
Browser-Based Development: Unlike Power BI, all aspects of the analytics process in Fabric can be managed directly in the browser.

Microsoft Fabric vs Azure Data Platform

Microsoft Fabric builds on the strengths of the Azure Data Platform but introduces new features like OneLake and integrated Power Query within Data Factory pipelines. Key enhancements include:

Unified Data Lake: OneLake provides a common governance layer and makes data accessible across various tools without duplication.
Data Lakehouse: Combines the scalability of a data lake with the performance of a data warehouse, enabling rapid access to data.
Integrated Workflows: Power Query dataflows are now fully integrated within Data Factory pipelines, streamlining data transformation processes.

Migrating from Azure to Microsoft Fabric

Transitioning from an Azure-based solution to Microsoft Fabric involves several considerations. While Fabric offers a unified platform, some functionality available in Azure Data Factory, Synapse, and Power BI Premium may not yet be fully replicated in Fabric. This requires careful planning and potentially interim solutions during the migration process.

Key aspects of the migration journey include:

Reviewing Your Current Solution: Assess existing BI components, data sources, and reporting requirements.
Skill Development: Equip your team with the necessary skills to work with Fabric’s new features.
Budgeting and Planning: Understand the costs and timeline for migration to ensure a smooth transition.

Azure to Fabric Migration Overview

Prior to the launch of Microsoft Fabric in November 2023, multiple data platforms and services were required to deliver a complete data analytics and BI solution - various Azure services for the data lake, data warehouse, ingestion pipelines, AI and ML, and Power BI for semantic modelling and dashboards. But now, you can have all of your data analytics components within one infrastructure.

The following diagram compares Azure Synapse/SQL Database BI Infrastructure with the Microsoft Fabric BI infrastructure:

Your current BI solutions are likely to have some or all of the following platform components:

Azure Blob Storage
Azure Data Lake
Data Factory
Azure Synapse
Azure SQL Database
Azure SSAS
Azure VMs
Power BI Pro
Power BI Premium PPU
Power BI Premium Capacity
Azure Databricks Azure Cosmos DB
Power Automate
Logic Apps

Current Microsoft Azure and Power BI based Data Analytics & BI solutions may look like one of the following high level architectures, or any hybrid of the two.

And across those platform components might be some or all of the following object components:

Power BI Dataflows
Power BI Shared Datasets
Azure SSAS Tabular Models
Power BI Reports
Power BI Paginated Reports
SSRS Reports
Data Warehouse - relational star schema database
Azure Blob Storage Containers
Azure Data Lake Containers
Machine Learning or AI Databricks
Cosmos DB NoSQL Database
Automated and triggered tasks

You may have the traditional Data Warehouse to Tabular Model to Dashboard architecture as above or a more complex Machine Learning, NoSQL DB to dashboard implementation.

Medallion Architecture

Microsoft Fabric supports best-practice Medallion Architecture design concepts, enabling a layered approach to Lakehouse design with Bronze, Silver and Gold layers to host data at its raw and dirty stage (Bronze), cleansed, transformed & integrated stage (Silver) and curated, quality data stage (Gold).

Medallion design principals result in less movement of data, centralised governance and security, and support for both batch and real-time or near-real-time reporting.

How Do You Migrate From an Azure Solution to a Fabric Solution?

Migrating from your current Azure and Power BI based business intelligence solution will require careful consideration and planning. Microsoft Fabric is still new and evolving.

There is some functionality that you will have enjoyed in the Azure Data Factory, Synapse and Power Premium world that are not yet available in the Fabric world, and this may require some interim handling on your migration journey with a view to switching to new methods as they become available.
Your team may need to acquire some new skills in order to execute the migration work.
Being new it may be a bit of a journey into the unknown with regards to how much a move to the Fabric platform will cost you.
You may not yet need all the benefits that Fabric can bring to a data analytics solution
A new platform will benefit from a complete review of your current solution and future aspirations to ensure that full advantage is taken of the Fabric features and services

Take a look here for more information on migrating to Microsoft Fabric.

Key Skills for Microsoft Fabric Implementation

With new platform releases comes the challenge of developing new skills to design, implement and maintain solutions built around these new solution architectures.

Successful adoption of Microsoft Fabric requires expertise across several areas:

Data Integration and Orchestration: Developing pipelines and dataflows using Data Factory, PySpark, and SQL.
Lakehouse Architecture: Designing medallion architectures (Bronze, Silver, Gold layers) and managing governance and security.
Data Warehousing: Creating logical star schemas and optimising queries using Transact-SQL.
Semantic Modelling: Building relationships, hierarchies, and measures using DAX.
Data Visualisation: Developing dashboards, paginated reports, and actionable insights with Power BI.
Data Governance & Security: Implementing Microsoft Purview, managing workspace permissions, enforcing data sensitivity labels, and tracking end-to-end lineage.

Our Microsoft Business Intelligence, Fabric and Power BI Training Courses will help you prepare for your Fabric Data Journey.

How PTR Can Support Your Microsoft Fabric Journey

At PTR, we take a collaborative approach to help you achieve your data analytics goals. Our consultancy services include:

Strategic Planning: Aligning your data strategy with your organisation’s goals and future aspirations.
Detailed Reviews: Evaluating your existing data estate, BI components, and governance frameworks.
Customised Solutions: Designing and implementing a Microsoft Fabric solution that meets your specific needs.
Skill Development: Providing training and mentoring to ensure your team can effectively use the platform.

With over 35 years of experience and a track record of migrating clients to Microsoft fabric we have the expertise to guide you through your Microsoft Fabric journey.

Migrating to a new platform, or embarking on a new data journey on a new platform, can be daunting. Do you even need to implement a Fabric solution, or is it overkill for you? Our Fabric Consultancy service can help you to assess your requirements and firstly identify what your individual data journey might look like. Our consultants are all passionate about designing and implementing the perfect solution for our clients and that means that we do not take a "one size fits all" approach. We will work with you to assess what you currently have and where you would like to be. From there we will use the extensive experience across our entire team of consultants and solution architects to come up with the right solution for you. We often find that it is best to break solution delivery down into smaller Milestones so that you have regular delivery of visible outputs giving early confidence that the solution will satisfy your needs and rapidly making data available for your data driven decision making requirements. Smaller milestones also creates regular touch points that allow a review of the approach - particularly important when embarking on solutions built around new and emerging platforms such as Microsoft Fabric. Our mentoring approach to working with our clients means that we take you and your team along with us every step of the way on your data journey, ensuring that you can be self sufficient in taking your solution forward once implemented.

While considering your options for a Fabric solution it can be helpful to learn a little more about the platform and architecture choices available to you. Equipping your team with the knowledge and skills they require, and building their confidence to implement a successful BI solution is key to a successful project so you may also want to consider complementing consultancy and mentoring with training to help you answer the question "Where Do I Start?".

Talk to Us About Microsoft Fabric

If you’re considering Microsoft Fabric for your organisation or need guidance on migrating from an existing Azure solution, we’re here to help. Contact our team to discuss your requirements and explore how we can support your data analytics goals.

Message us here….https://www.ptr.co.uk/contact Or connect with us on LinkedIn. We are always happy to help you with your data platform choices and BI data strategy planning and journey.

Microsoft Fabric Consultancy Services

All Your Data Analytics Needs in One Place

Microsoft Fabric Consulting Services

What Is Microsoft Fabric?