In Power BI, data is stored and processed in several ways depending on the method used for data import and the storage mode selected. Here's an overview:
Import Mode:
- When data is imported into Power BI (e.g., from Excel, SQL Server, or other sources), it is stored in-memory within Power BI's Vertipaq engine. Vertipaq is a highly compressed, columnar data storage engine that enables fast querying and data processing.
- The data is stored locally on the Power BI server or within the Power BI Desktop file (with a .pbix extension) on your local machine.
DirectQuery Mode:
- In this mode, Power BI doesn't store the data locally. Instead, it sends queries directly to the data source whenever the user interacts with the report. The data remains in the external database or data warehouse (e.g., SQL Server, Azure, etc.).
- Only metadata and report visuals are stored in Power BI.
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