Migrating to Power BI Report Server – March 2018 from Power BI Report Server – October 2018

Last night, I found out that the Power BI Report Server – March 2018 update is available for download.  So I was very excited to install this and use it for a brand new Power BI report that I was doing.

Again, this has two steps in the migration process as outlined in my previous article of Migrating SSRS 2014 to SSRs 2017.

•       The first step is to Install the new release of Power BI Report Server on a different machine. 
•      The second step is to migrate the existing Power BI reports into the new installation.

So here you go – with a run down of the steps that I have followed to migrate.  I did not do an in place upgrade.

Step 1

Installing Power BI Report Server – March 2018

Downloaded the new Power BI Report server from the below link

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=56722

When you click on the Download button – you will be prompted to choose the files as shown below.  Choose the relevant files and click next

When the download is completed, run the installer file named PowerBIReportServer.exe

Here are some screenshots from my installation.

Choose Developer from the below screen.

Click on the Configure Report Server on the below screen to configure Power Bi Report Server.

When the Reporting Services Configuration launches, make sure you choose the correct instance.

My installation Is showing two instances in the dropdown because I also have a SSRS installation on this server.

I choose the PBIRS as I am configuring the Power BI Report Server.

Service Account Tab  -  Just use the default

Web Service URL Tab  --  

Make sure you are changing the default ReportServer virtual directory to PBIReportServer and clcik Apply

Database Tab  -- On the Database -- click on change Database and create New Database

 Keep the Authentication Type -- Current User -- Integrated Security

 In the below screen ensure that the ReportServer is changed to PBIReportServer.  Then the tempdatabase will automatically change to PBIReportServerTemp database.

 Under Credentials -- Leave the Authentication Type to Service Credentials a shown below.

 Then Click Apply

Web Portal URL Tab -- Under this ensure that the virtual directory is changed to PBIReports from Reports and then click Apply

I did not change any other tabs.  Click Exit from Report Server Configuration Manager

Step 2

Migrate the existing Power BI reports into the new installation of Power BI Report Server March 2018

The next step is to migrate the existing Power BI reports into the new installation.  To do this, follow the below steps.

• 1Back up the PBIReportServer and PBIReportServerTemp databases from the old Power BI Report Server October 2017 Services installation. 

• 2.Restore these two databases on to the new Power BI Report Server installation.

Now you will find the reports from the old SSRS server in the new SSRS server if you browse through the url http://localhost/pbireports  on the new Power BI Installation box as shown below.

The next important step is to use the new PowerBIDesktopforRS executable to author the Power BI Reports to publish to this new Power BI Report Server Installation.