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Microsoft added variable libraries on April 1 to markedly improve the development pipeline experience, which greatly improves the entire CICD process for releasing content in Fabric. Now to make variable libraries work, parameters need to be implemented throughout pipelines, notebooks and semantic models. These parameters will be changed when items are moved using Development Pipelines. While development pipelines were originally created for Power BI using them to deploy Fabric content were problematic, but with Variable Pipelines, they are the best way to migrate code from dev to test to prod.

We will explore the foundational concepts of parameter usage in Fabric, demonstrating how to define, manage, and adjust parameters to for different environments. The session will highlight best practices for incorporating variable libraries, showcasing their role in facilitating seamless updates across multiple notebooks and pipelines. Attendees will gain insights into: • The architecture and benefits of using parameters in Fabric environments. • Step-by-step guidance on setting up and utilizing variable libraries. • Real-world examples illustrating the impact of parameterization on workflow efficiency. By the end of this talk, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to enhance their data engineering practices, leveraging the full potential of parameters and variable libraries in Fabric to drive more efficient and scalable data solutions.

Ginger Grant is a distinguished Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), renowned for her deep expertise in advanced analytics, machine learning, AI, data warehousing, and the evolving landscape of Microsoft Fabric. As a sought-after consultant, Ginger empowers organizations to harness the full potential of their data ecosystems.

Beyond consulting, Ginger is a prolific thought leader and speaker for both keynotes and technical training. She contributes regularly as a columnist for Pure AI, authors insightful books, and shares practical knowledge on her blog, DesertIsleSQL.com. Her educational impact spans a wide range of technologies, including Azure Synapse Analytics, Python, and Azure Machine Learning, making her a trusted voice in the data community.

Whether on stage, in print, or in the classroom, Ginger’s passion for data and commitment to knowledge-sharing make her a standout figure in the world of data and AI.

Please join us on 16th April, 2025 to listen to the topic: Managing Power BI Development with CI/CD with Ginger Grant

What \~ Toronto Data Professionals Community (Virtual) When \~ Wednesday, 16th April, 2025

Agenda:

• 6:00 PM Networking and Introduction
• 6:15 PM Topic: Managing Power BI Development with CI/CD with Ginger Grant
• 7:30 PM End

Where: Online via Microsoft team

Session Details: This year has brought a number of changes to Power BI which provide new ways to create a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) environment. During the session new tools and features are reviewed to help you create more effective DevOps Management in Power BI while demonstrating examples of how to incorporate source control. Organizing and managing workspaces is also an important part of the release lifecycle, which we will demonstrate as this can impact how releases are managed via pipelines. To better understand the options available within your organization, all of the licensing requirements for source control will be reviewed to understand what features are available in different versions.

Speaker Bio: Ginger Grant shines as a Data Platform MVP, offering top-notch consulting in the realms of advanced analytics, machine learning, data warehousing, and the intricacies of Microsoft Fabric. Not just a consultant, Ginger is a prolific writer, sharing her insights through articles as a regular columnist for Pure AI, books, and on her blog, DesertIsleSQL.com. Her mastery doesn’t stop there; as a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), she imparts wisdom in various data platform areas, including Microsoft Fabric, Azure Synapse Analytics, Python, and Azure Machine Learning. Ginger’s blend of expertise and educational contributions makes her a beacon in the data community.

Azure Data Engineer Masterclass Session 3 - Fundamental Spark for Fabric

Ginger grant will take us through some spark fundamentals.

We will run every second Friday 12:00 to 13:00 with optional labs, practice questions and home work for those wanting to certify.

Online Teams link and channel to chat and get resources is below https://tinyurl.com/FabricMasterClass

Developing with Spark for Microsoft Fabric with Copilot - Ginger Grant & Warwick Rudd

Description

Developing solutions in Microsoft Fabric can include Apache Spark and in this environment that includes Copilot generated code to document, comment, debug and create error handling. We will show you how to incorporate Copilot to perform these task either within Fabric or in a tool you may be more comfortable using VS Code.

We will also talk about the unique methods that Fabric includes for improving developer productivity by utilizing drag and drop methods for creating common code patterns. We will also demonstrate how to use Data Wrangler to analyze and clean your code and add the spark dataframe modifications to your code.

We will review how to use this code in a data pipeline and monitor results. If you want to improve your Spark productivity in Fabric, you won’t want to miss this session.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 11, 2024, 1600 GMT

DESCRIPTION of TALK

Title: Fabric Data Security in Lakehouses and Data Warehouse

When data moves from a database to a lakehouse or a warehouse, how to you secure the data? How do you provide access to it? Can you implement row level security on the the lakehouse? Can you mask the data and have it the data appear as masked inside of a Semantic Model used for Power BI reporting? In this session, you will learn how you can implement security on lakehouses and data warehouses inside of Fabric and which one you should implement with your data. You will learn how to restrict access to data and how to implement object and row level security at the database level. See how you can implement similar user security to what you may have deployed in SQL Server inside of Fabric Endpoints in SQL Server Managment Studio

In programming, collaboration and experimentation can be very stressful, since sharing code and making it visible to others can be tedious, time-consuming, and nerve-wracking.Tools like Power BI are changing that entirely, by opening up new ways to collaborate between team members, add layers of customized and complex security to the data teams are working with, and making data much more accessible across organizations.

Ginger Grant joins the show to talk about how organizations can utilize Power BI, Dax, and M to their fullest potential and create new opportunities for experimentation, innovation, and collaboration.

Ginger is the Principal Consultant at the Desert Isle Group, working as an expert in advanced analytic solutions, including machine learning, data warehousing, ETL, reporting and cube development, Power BI, Excel Automation, Data Visualization and training. In addition to her consultant work, she is also a blogger at and global keynote speaker on developments and trends in data. Microsoft has also recognized her technical contributions by awarding her a MVP in Data Platform.

In this episode, we talk about what Power BI is, the common mistakes organizations make when implementing Power BI, advanced use cases, and much more.

Enjoy reading interviews with more than two dozen data professionals to see a picture of what it’s like to work in the industry managing and analyzing data, helping you to know what it takes to move from your current expertise into one of the fastest growing areas of technology today. Data is the hottest word of the century, and data professionals are in high demand. You may already be a data professional such as a database administrator or business intelligence analyst. Or you may be one of the many people who want to work as a data professional, and are curious how to get there. Either way, this collection helps you understand how data professionals work, what makes them successful, and what they do to keep up. You’ll find interviews in this book with database administrators, database programmers, data architects, business intelligence professionals, and analytics professionals. Interviewees work across industry sectors ranging from healthcare and banking tofinance and transportation and beyond. Each chapter illuminates a successful professional at the top of their game, who shares what helped them get to the top, and what skills and attitudes combine to make them successful in their respective fields. Interviewees in the book include: Mindy Curnutt, Julie Smith, Kenneth Fisher, Andy Leonard, Jes Borland, Kevin Feasel, Ginger Grant, Vicky Harp, Kendra Little, Jason Brimhall, Tim Costello, Andy Mallon, Steph Locke, Jonathan Stewart, Joseph Sack, John Q. Martin, John Morehouse, Kathi Kellenberger, Argenis Fernandez, Kirsten Benzel, Tracy Boggiano, Dave Walden, Matt Gordon, Jimmy May, Drew Furgiuele, Marlon Ribunal, and Joseph Fleming. All of them have been successful in their careers, and share their perspectives on working and succeeding in the field as data and database professionals. What You'll Learn Stand out as an outstanding professional in your area of data work by developing the right set of skills and attitudes that lead to success Avoid common mistakes and pitfalls, and recover from operational failures and bad technology decisions Understand current trends and best practices, and stay out in front as the field evolves Break into working with data through database administration, business intelligence, or any of the other career paths represented in this book Manage stress and develop a healthy work-life balance no matter which career path you decide upon Choose a suitable path for yourself from among the different career paths in working with data Who This Book Is For Database administrators and developers, database and business intelligence architects, consultants, and analytic professionals, as well as those intent on moving into one of those career paths. Aspiring data professionals and those in related technical fields who want to make a move toward managing or analyzing data on a full-time basis will find the book useful. Existing data professionals who want to be outstanding and successful at what they do will also appreciate the book's advice and guidance.