How Does Data Gateway Work

Bridge

The data gateway acts as a bridge between the remote data source and the Power BI web application.

It is a standalone, optional software that must be installed onto a device with internet access. This can be a laptop or a virtual machine (VM).

Hosting & Execution

The gateway itself hosts and executes the connectors in the same way Power BI Desktop does.

However, credentials for the connector are provided to it via https://app.powerbi.com when creating a Connection.

Best Practice: Installing a Data Gateway is best practice because it solves issues that could arise without one. For more details, see Data Gateways & Power BI.

Next Steps

If you are wondering why you need a data gateway, see Why Use a Data Gateway.