Figuring Out Fabric: Learn Fabric in 30 minutes.
Each week I’ll be interviewing experts and users alike on their experience with Fabric, warts and all. I can guarantee that we’ll have voices you aren’t used to and perspectives you won’t expect.Each episode will be 30 minutes long with a single topic, so you can listen during your commute or while you exercise. Skip the topics you aren’t interested in. This will be a podcast that respects your time and your intelligence. No 2 hour BS sessions.
Ep. 30 - Telling Stories with Data
Santhana Lakshmi Ponnurasan and I worked together at Truviz a few years back, but this is our first real conversation since she became a two-time competitor in the Power BI DataViz World Championship and a recent Microsoft MVP. We talk about building reports people actually use versus passion projects, and why she crosses things off a requirements list instead of checking them off. Lakshmi walks through competing on stage at the DataViz Championship in Atlanta and what got her past the fear of speaking with an accent. We close on the Fabric community, her daily habit of scrolling and...
Ep 29. AI, Data Privacy, and the Bubble
Kellyn Gorman is back for a reappraisal, this time on AI. We get into how you're the product, not the customer: what "help improve our models" actually means, plus real stories of companies dumping loan PII and entire product roadmaps into free ChatGPT. Kellyn walks through her research on the AI bubble and what your data is actually worth. We close on Fabric's data protection push, Flyway's new AI features, and why the boring skills, Git, DevOps, architecture, are the ones AI can't replace.
Links:
Kellyn's blog, DBAKevlar
Kellyn Gorman on LinkedIn
...
Ep. 28 Getting the Badge vs. Actually Learning Fabric
In this episode Aleksi Partanen about certifications, learning Fabric, and community. We talk about the Fabric certs and how much value they do or do not provide. We talk about community and motivations for being involved and cultivating communities.
YouTube: Aleksi Partanen – Master Microsoft Fabric
Fabric Forge: skool.com/fabricforge
CertiAce: certiace.com
Subreddit mentioned in the episode: r/MicrosoftFabric
Ep. 27 Fabric Pipelines vs. Dataflows vs. Notebooks
Fatima Jallow, a data consultant based in Stockholm, helps us understand data movement in Fabric and when to use pipelines and dataflows. We talk about how pipelines specialize in orchestration. She shares with us her journey from executive assistant to data architect. Finally she talks about some challenges building a metadata-driven pipeline in Fabric from scratch.
Resources
FeedlyFatima Jallow on LinkedInSwedish Power BI & Fabric User GroupData Saturday StockholmEp 26. - Balancing keeping up with old and new tech
Simon Sabin talks about how SQL Bits picks sessions when the data world keeps splintering into more tools. We talk about the tension between Fabric and the older stack people still use at work, and why session selection has to cover both. We also talk about why discernment is the skill you need with AI, since the model is an "automated idiot" and you have to catch when it's wrong. Power Query's declarative engine comes up too, along with the pub quizzes and board game nights SQL Bits runs so introverts can actually meet people.
Resources<...
Ep. 25 - Python Notebooks
Sandeep Pawar talks about Python notebooks in Microsoft Fabric and why Power BI developers should learn them. We talk about semantic link as the entry point for Power BI developers into Python, and how notebooks open up solutions for orchestration, monitoring, and administration that are hard to do any other way. We also talk about PySpark, and why understanding Spark internals matters just as much as writing the code.
Links
Semantic link (Microsoft Fabric Python library)Dunder Data (Python and Pandas tutorials)Delta Lake: Up and Running (O'Reilly)fabric.guru (Sandeep Pawar's blog)StreamlitEp. 24 Fabric Community
In this episode, Shannon Lindsay from the Microsoft Community team joins me to talk about, well, community! We talk about her trajectory from non-profit space, to Power BI developer, to Microsoft employee. We go over how social media is fragmented and the joy of finding your friends.
Dunbar's numberUnderstand translytical task flowsData WitchesMicrosoft Fabric CommunityEp. 23. Dealing with Fabric Overwhelm
In this episode, Shabnam Watson talks about dealing with Fabric overwhelm and how her bureaucratic experiences with Azure and Synapse motivated her to learn Fabric. She talks about how it's important to focus on finding a way that works with the tool instead of finding the "best" way. In general, the best lesson is to find ways to tie your new learning. We also touch on the DP-600/DP-700 certifications.
Analytics Engineering with Microsoft Fabric and Power BI (O'Reilly, early release)The Analytics Engineering Podcast (dbt Labs)Design for How People Learn by Julie DirksenWhat is Copy Job...Ep. 22 Making Fabric Feel Like Home
In this episode, Microsoft MVP Prathy K talks about her journey into Microsoft Fabric from her MSBI background. She explains how Fabric felt like "coming home" since she could map SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS concepts to new tools. We discuss how medallion architecture is really just rebranded data warehousing layers and why Fabric can feel overwhelming if you haven't kept up with the big data world.
Microsoft documentation on medallion architectureWhat is a lakehouse? (Databricks, 2020)Big Data or Pokemon? (circa 2013)Fabric Capacity Metrics appFabric benchmarking loading CSVEp. 21 - Reverse interview, should you switch to Microsoft Fabric?
In this episode, Microsoft MVP Angela Henry asks me questions about Microsoft Fabric. We compare the current Fabric development timeline to the old Power BI development timeline. I talk about when Fabric makes the most sense, in my personal opinion. It was a surprise this episode to hear about SSRS.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_crabSVG images in Power BI (2018)Fabric RoadmapEp. 20 - Power BI Accessibility
In this episode, Juliana Smith talks about accessibility in Power BI. She talks about starting out as a data scientist and moving to Power BI. We talk about how impairments can be temporary or varied and how accessibility helps everyone. We discuss simple, low-effort changes like font sizes, labels, and color contrast.
Megean Longoria on accessibilityInclusive Design ToolkitAccessibility Insights for WindowsAccessibility documentation for Microsof Power BIJuliana’s YouTubeJuliana’s BlogEp. 19 - Getting into Microsoft Fabric
In this episode, Heidi Hastings joins to discuss the practical realities of adopting Microsoft Fabric. We cover her early exposure to Fabric through the MVP preview, the challenges of understanding and implementing it across real-world projects, and the often-overlooked learning curve for newcomers.
Heidi shares insights into common misconceptions driven by marketing materials, gaps in documentation, and the difficulty of navigating architectural decisions like Lakehouse vs. Warehouse.
Links
You could have invented Microsoft FabricGuy in a CubeRui RomanoWorkout WednesdayKerry KoloskoMegean LongoriaData witchesSynapse EspressoContoso generated datasetAustralia timezonesEp. 18 - SQL DB on Fabric
In this episode, Sukhwant Kaur the PM for SQL DBs in Fabric, talks about the new feature. She talks about how management is much easier, which is great for experimentation. SQL DBs are very popular for metadata pipelines and similar. It’s exciting as a way to enable writeback and curated data storage for Power BI. We also talked about AI features and workload management.
Links
Vector support for in Azure GASurge protection in FabricEp. 17 - Fabric Notebooks
In this episode, we talk with Emilie Rønning about notebooks. We talk about how notebooks can be used for data engineering and when to get started with them. One of the nice things about notebooks is that you can easily debug individual steps instead of having to search a whole script for an error. We also discuss when to learn notebooks. Near the end we talk about how exporting notebooks risks exfiltrating data.
Links
ROC in statisticsREPL LoopLiterate programmingU-SQL languageFabric FebruaryLucid Will capacity trackingSemantic link BPABest Practices aren't always helpfulThe hidden risk in F...Ep. 16 - Administering Fabric
In this episode, Elayne Jones talks about being an expert reference for the IT Center of Excellence and about administering Fabric. We talk about the types of things that can be administered and some of the challenges.
Deploy Power BI from OneDriveMatthew Roche: problem domain and solution domainPublish to web turned off by default now1,000 item limit in Fabric workspacesEp. 15 - Fabric or Databricks
In this episode, Meagan Longoria talks about Databricks and helps us compare it to Fabric. The general conclusions is Databricks is still the mature tool, but Fabric is making improvements.
In reality, there is space for a hybrid approach and if you have to start somewhere with Fabric, it likely makes sense to start with Power BI and work your way back, where this value. We also talk about how the way Fabric is structured can sometimes lead to messy workspaces.
Links
Items limitations in workspacesConway's law (you ship your org chart)F...Ep. 14 Changing Data Culture
In this episode, Ewa Hutmacher talks about driving change and changing cultures in a organization. I think it’s fair to say that adjusting to Fabric and centralizing your data is a big organizational change. It was new to me to hear there are ways to track and monitor organizational change.
Crucial ConversationsMedallion architectureRussian nail factoryPerverse incentivesWho Moved My Cheese?“We need this report in Power BI”Ep 13. Power BI, Your First Job, and the PL-300
In this episode, Evelyn talks about getting certified in the Tableau and Power BI. We talk a little a bit about how each is different. For her, BI was an ideal career because it was in the middle of her two passions: art and IT. We also discuss getting her first job and studying for the PL-300.
Ggplot2Kind and Wicked learning environments (regarding delayed feedback)Column profilerEp. 12 - Power BI, Data Viz, and Solving the Right Problem
T. from Data Rocks talks about how data viz is a tiny subset of information design. The key is to focus less on just charts, but more about how the data is communicated and received. We talk about how what the user does with it separates a pile of charts from a successful design flow. I found this conversation helpful to understand it means to be good at data viz.
Links
Stop SolutioneeringFinancial Intelligence for IT PeopleSolving the Right Problems by Kurt BuhlerDon't Make Me ThinkThe Pepsi Paradoxwww.datarocks.co.nzEp. 11 - Data Science, Career Paths, Learning Fabric
In this episode, Steph Locke covers a wild career from data science consultant to startup owner to Microsoft manager. We talk about what’s required to work in data science. We also talk about the interaction of large language models and coding. Finally, we talk about adjusting to Power BI and Fabric.
Links
Statistical t-testStatistical r-correlationBase rate fallacyROC (statistical test)Roc (mythical bird)Why your AI abstract was rejectedAgainst Power BI dogmaEp. 10: Fabric and Instructional Design
In this episode with Ellen Burns-Johnson, we talk about when we worked on a cloud game for Azure Synapse, ADF, Power BI. A big lesson learned from that is a big challenge today for Fabric is getting different teams and personas to communicate with each other; it's not just about the technology. Ellen's first impression is "it seems like Microsoft is trying to 'product away' the communication layer".
Links
Scott Hanselman and AbstractionsHenry Forde never said anything about faster horsesBig data is deadJanuary 2025 update on RedditMayor uses deeply disturbing AI imagePower BI, AI, and E...Ep. 9 - Fabric in Government
In this Episode Els Van Vessem talks about the challenges of implementing Fabric in the government. In it they talk about doing proof of concepts with Fabric and the limitations when your data is confidential, protected and on-premises. Data sovereignty often means sticking to a hybrid approach. We also discuss the challenges of similarly named products with slight differences.
Links
Veteran's affairs hackPolice force hackFabric MirroringFabric Warehouse T-sql surface areaFreedom of Information ActEp 8. CI/CD in Fabric
Apologies for the audio; I stupidly forgot to double check my mic this episode.
In this episode, Erin Dempster gives us an outside view of fabric focused on CI/CD. We talk about both deployment pipelines and devops pipelines and how she uses both tools in concert. This episode is interesting because it touches on the challenges of integrating a variety of data sources for an insurance company and using CI/Cd to keep everything in sync.
PBIP file formatPBIR file formatDeployment PipelinesDevops PipelinesAutomating tests for broken visualsEp. 7 - Semantic Link and Semantic Link Labs
In this episode, Stephanie Bruno talks about semantic link and semantic link labs, which allow you to better manage your Power BI resources with Fabric notebooks. Semantic allows you to query and work directly with your semantic model. Semantic Link Labs allows you to automate running the best practices analyzer against your model. I've heard nothing but great things about it.
Links
Semantic LinkSemantic Link LabsFabric.guru by Sandeep PawarFabric Notebook UtilsSemantic best practicesReport AnalyzerSNL Shimmer skitChatGPT to document measuresEp 6. Scouting out Fabric
In this episode, Krystina Mishra talks about being an accidental Fabric admin. She talks about the challenges of being part of a centralized IT team that operational and business teams. She talks about the challenges of how everything with Dynamics 365 is slightly different than every other data source and how everything is convoluted with Synapse. She also talks about how there are nuanced differences between a P1 and an F64.
Links
Dynamics Great Plains schemaHow to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing with PeopleWhat is a thermoclineFabric surge protectionFabric capacity metrics appSatisfactory video gameWhat...Ep. 5 - Realtime Intelligence
In this Episode, Frank Geisler explains Realtime Intelligence in Microsoft Fabric. We learn how RTI is its own thing in Fabric and is not directly backed by Parquet like a Lakehouse is. We also dig into the distinction between real-time analytics and real-time intelligence. The latter is not just reporting but being able to trigger activity based on it.
Links
Fabric Realtime IntelligenceKQL languageKusto DetectiveRealtime DashboardData ActivatorFrank's TutorialsMicrosoft Sentinel and KQLEp 4. Fabric Lakehouse versus Warehouse
In this episode, Ginger Grant talks about the differences between warehouse and lakehouses in Fabric. We talk about how Warehouses make more sense if you are doing a lot of ad-hoc querying. In most other cases, Lakehouse will be easier and fewer steps.
Links
Lakehouse versus Warehouse decision guideDelta lake vacuumPolaris engine behind Fabric WarehouseLakehouse versus Warehouse (Advancing Analytics)Fabric surge protection (preview)Ep 3. Extracting Data from Legacy Systems
In this episode, Kellyn Gorman talks about the challenges of getting data out of legacy systems (i.e. relational data bases) into Fabric. She explains that whoever hosts the data wins. She talks about often content talks about the golden path or focuses on the marketing content, but it's much rarer to see content that deals with the difficult edge cases.
We talk about how despite being Software as a Service, in order to learn Fabric you will need to learn networking, authentication, and infrastructure more broadly. We talk about how it's impossible to completely get away...
Ep. 2 Medallion Architecture with Cathrine Wilhelmsen
Cathrine explains how there isn't a single solution for architecting your data lake with Microsoft Fabric. We walk through all the different moving pieces of getting started with Fabric and lakehouses. Catherine touches on some different ways of implementing medallion in Fabric. She also makes the point Medallion is not the same as Dev / QA / Prod. Lastly, we talk about source control and branching workspaces in Fabric.
Links
Ep 1. Data Movement with Kristyna Ferris
In this Episode, I interview Kristyna Ferris about the different types of data Movement in Microsoft Fabric. Specifically, we talk about gen 2 dataflows, data pipelines, and Spark notebooks. We see how you start simple and work your way up. Kristyna shares the "faucets first" approach at P3 adaptive.
Links
