Ignite’s Highlights: Microsoft Fabric in minutes!
Microsoft Ignite 2023 recently set the stage with cutting-edge revelations & we got you covered with our TOP 5 announcements. Buckle up as we take you on a rocket-speed journey through Microsoft Fabric’s updates announced at this year's Ignite!
Highlight #1 - New copilot offerings
The central emphasis of this year revolved predominantly around artificial intelligence (AI), highlighted by the recent introduction of Microsoft 365 Copilot and its seamless integration with various other products.
At Microsoft Ignite 2023, the company unveiled three fresh additions to its software and services lineup: Copilot for Azure, Copilot for Service, and Copilot integrated into Dynamics 365 Guides.
Some practical examples: you can use Copilot for Azure for use-aces such as:
Designing (configuring the right services for your applications and environment)
Operating (answering questions, authoring … commands and acting on your behalf)
Troubleshooting (orchestrating data across Azure services for insights)
Optimizing (improving costs, scalability, security and reliability through recommendations for your environment)
Microsoft Copilot for Azure (Image: Microsoft)
Highlight #2 - Mirroring
Imagine a simple click instantly transforming your Azure SQL Database into a OneLake setup tailored for analytics, specifically formatted in Delta Lake style and continuously updated in almost real-time. This unleashes the full potential of Microsoft Fabric with your data, streamlining the process of feeding downstream dimensional models. Gone are the days of constantly retrieving source data; now it resides seamlessly within OneLake. You gain the ability to perform cross-database joins within a Fabric warehouse and leverage the mirrored data for your dimensional model load procedures.
Another common challenge arises when the number of resource-intensive reporting or analytical queries running directly on your source systems gradually slows down an already burdened server. Microsoft Fabric's mirroring functionality efficiently and progressively replicates these source databases to the cloud, relieving the strain of these demanding analytical queries and transferring them to a more suitable platform.
Which databases are compatible for mirroring? Initially, Azure SQL DB, Azure Cosmos DB, and Snowflake fit the bill. By 2024, the mirroring capability will extend to SQL Server, Azure PostgreSQL, Azure MySQL, MongoDB, and more.
Real-time data replication in Microsoft Fabric using mirroring (Image: Microsoft)
Highlight #3 - Microsoft Fabric certification
With the Microsoft Fabric learning path being released several months by now, Microsoft announced a brandnew certification: DP-600 - Implementing Analytics Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric coming in in beta in mid-January 2024. Eager to skyrocket your Fabric expertise? You know what to do!
Coming in January 2024: Exam DP-600 - BETA (Image: Microsoft)
Highlight #4 - Direct lake support for datawarehouse
Direct Lake mode introduces an innovative semantic model capability within Power BI, designed specifically for analyzing extensive volumes of data. This mode operates by directly loading parquet-formatted files from a data lake, eliminating the need to query a Lakehouse endpoint and bypassing any necessity to import or replicate data into a Power BI model. It serves as an accelerated pathway, swiftly transferring data from the lake directly into the Power BI engine for immediate analysis.
The good part? Next to lakehouses, datawarehouses now also support the direct lake mode!
Classic import and DirectQuery modes compared with Direct Lake mode (Image: Microsoft)
Hightlight #5 - Microsoft Copilot Studio
OpenAI recently unveiled its latest GPT platform, enabling individuals to craft their unique versions of ChatGPT. Now, Microsoft introduces Copilot Studio, a new no-code solution empowering businesses to create tailored Copilot experiences or seamlessly integrate personalized ChatGPT AI chatbots.
Primarily an extension of Microsoft 365 Copilot, this innovation aims to enhance the recently launched paid service by Microsoft. Copilot Studio allows businesses to personalize their Microsoft 365 Copilot with specific datasets, automation sequences, and even custom Copilots beyond the scope of the Microsoft Graph, the backbone of Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Microsoft Copilot Studio (Image: Microsoft)
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