Microsoft Power BI Power BI Data Connectivity and Data Sources 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What connection mode allows Power BI to query data directly from the source without importing it into the data model?
- Import mode
- DirectQuery mode (Correct answer)
- Live Connection mode
- Push mode
Correct answer: DirectQuery mode
DirectQuery mode sends queries directly to the data source each time a visual renders, without caching data in Power BI's in-memory engine.
Question 2: Which of the following data sources supports Live Connection in Power BI Desktop?
- SQL Server database (import)
- Excel workbook
- SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) (Correct answer)
- SharePoint list
Correct answer: SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)
Live Connection is supported for Analysis Services (SSAS) and Power BI datasets, allowing Power BI to connect without importing or duplicating the data model.
Question 3: In Power BI Desktop's Import mode, what limits how many rows can be loaded from a data source?
- A hard limit of 1 million rows
- A hard limit of 100 million rows
- Available system memory — there is no fixed row cap (Correct answer)
- A hard limit of 10 million rows
Correct answer: Available system memory — there is no fixed row cap
Power BI Desktop imposes no hard row limit for Import mode; the practical ceiling is determined by available RAM on the machine.
Question 4: Which connectors in Power BI can be used to retrieve data from REST APIs?
- Only the OData Feed connector
- Only the Web connector
- Both the OData Feed connector and the Web connector (Correct answer)
- Only the SQL Server connector
Correct answer: Both the OData Feed connector and the Web connector
Both the OData Feed connector (for OData-compliant APIs) and the Web connector (for general HTTP endpoints) can retrieve data from REST APIs in Power BI.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of the On-premises Data Gateway in Power BI?
- To increase scheduled refresh frequency in Power BI Service
- To enable Power BI Service to securely access on-premises data sources (Correct answer)
- To compress datasets before uploading them to the cloud
- To automatically create table relationships in imported data
Correct answer: To enable Power BI Service to securely access on-premises data sources
The On-premises Data Gateway acts as a secure bridge, enabling Power BI Service to reach data stored on local networks without exposing those sources directly to the internet.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT a valid storage mode in Power BI Desktop?
- Import
- DirectQuery
- Hybrid Query (Correct answer)
- Live Connection
Correct answer: Hybrid Query
Power BI Desktop supports Import, DirectQuery, and Live Connection modes; 'Hybrid Query' is not a recognized storage or connection mode.
Question 7: When connecting Power BI to an Excel file, which structural elements can be loaded as individual tables?
- Only named ranges
- Only Excel Tables (ListObjects)
- Only entire worksheets
- Excel Tables, named ranges, and entire worksheets (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Excel Tables, named ranges, and entire worksheets
Power BI can load Excel Tables, named ranges, and entire worksheets as separate tables, giving flexibility in how Excel data is structured for analysis.
Microsoft Power BI Power BI Data Connectivity and Data Sources 1
What connection mode allows Power BI to query data directly from the source without importing it into the data model?