Let’s Talk Microsoft Fabric

Disconnected data tools don’t just slow things down; they also hold back growth, innovation, and the effectiveness of any data initiative.

Microsoft Fabric aims to combat these challenges by unifying and simplifying analytics with a single platform. Fabric supports daily insights, builds a strong foundation for AI, and promotes seamless collaboration across teams—key elements for driving impactful growth and transformation.

Here’s how Microsoft Fabric equips organisations to unlock new levels of growth and innovation.

What is Microsoft Fabric?

In short, Microsoft Fabric is an all-in-one data analytics solution, bringing together several of their services, including Azure Synapse, Azure Data Factory, and Power BI under one unified product, simplifying billing and integration.

This end-to-end platform covers everything from data ingestion to reporting and AI. Instead of wrestling with multiple systems, Fabric offers one central hub. This cuts out inefficiencies and delays, and ensures a more cohesive data and analytics function, with data engineers, analysts and scientists all working in the same platform, breaking down silos. Fabric is workspace where all your data needs are under one roof: quick, secure, and accessible by every team member.

Microsoft took a similar approach by unifying tools like Power Pivot and Power Query into Power BI, making its simpler for users to focus on their work rather than grappling with complex integrations and billing. Fabric extends this vision even further, delivering a seamless, cohesive experience across the entire data lifecycle.

What’s new in Microsoft Fabric?

While it may feel familiar to some, there are several new features and terms to get acquainted with:

• OneLake – Microsoft’s version of the lakehouse aimed at being the OneDrive for data, where all your structured and unstructured data is stored for the entire organisation to use, centralising your data
• Data Activator – a no code tool that helps automate actions based on data and events, so if a value exceeds a certain level in Power BI it might trigger a query to run or alert users
• Power BI Direct Lake – a new method allows seamless data streaming from OneLake to Power BI, ensuring smooth performance even when handling large datasets. This approach keeps your reporting consistently up to date with the latest information, providing timely insights without compromising speed or efficiency

Some of the Key Benefits of Microsoft Fabric:

1 - One Unified Solution for All Your Data Needs

Fabric’s fully integrated Microsoft toolset means you can ditch multiple tools and save time, money, and headaches. By centralising data and analytics in a single platform, Fabric breaks down silos, data engineers, analysts, and data scientists’ teams working in the same environment. This mean teams can act faster, make quicker decisions, and align on big goals. With Fabric, you’re not just streamlining; you’re unlocking resources that fuel growth and give you the freedom to innovate.

2 - Built for the future and AI Success

AI needs strong data foundations, and that’s exactly what Fabric provides with it’s OneLake and unified toolset, covering every essential data management function from end to end. Fabric is designed to scale with your needs, empowering you to tackle data and AI projects that drive real results.

3 - Cost Efficiencies

Microsoft Fabric offers cost savings when optimised effectively. Its pricing model is based on storage (the amount held in OneLake) and computing power, so costs increase with higher processing demands. However, this simplified, usage-based approach means you only pay for what you actually need, which, when managed well, can lead to significant time and cost efficiencies.

4 - Low-Code Tools that Empowers Everyone on Your Team

Fabric’s low-code tools put data analysis directly into the hands of every team member, eliminating the need for developer support. This approach reduces bottlenecks, allowing teams to generate insights and make data-driven decisions more quickly. By freeing up developers to focus on complex projects, Fabric enhances agility across the organisation and supports faster, more efficient workflows.

What to consider before Adopting Microsoft Fabric

Fabric is powerful, but a few smart moves can make your transition smoother:

• It isn’t a quick fix: As with any technology investment, Microsoft Fabric won’t resolve all your data and analytics challenges instantly. Instead, it offers an excellent opportunity to start fresh. Establishing the right processes, personnel, and governance is essential for supporting this new environment effectively. For more on setting up a successful digital transformation, read our Steering Your Digital Transformation to Success blog.
• Data Architecture: Consider what workspaces you need and identify the users for each one. This understanding is crucial for building an effective data architecture and managing data security
• Keep an Eye on Usage Costs: With its cloud-based setup, Fabric’s costs may rise unexpectedly unless managed. Ensure you know what features you need and track usage to manage budgets and avoid surprises
• It’s Still New: Microsoft Fabric is a new platform, and there are gaps in its offering, so it's essential to do thorough due diligence. For large-scale AI use cases, keep in mind that Fabric currently doesn’t support GPUs

Real-World Applications of Microsoft Fabric

We recently worked with a client to modernise their data platform using Microsoft Fabric, a transition that significantly reduced processing times and operating costs while enhancing their data reliability.

This implementation enabled our client’s teams to access and analyse data faster and more securely, supporting data-driven decisions that fuelled business growth.

Read the full case study here >>

Not sure if Microsoft Fabric is right for you?

Microsoft Fabric lays a strong foundation for AI success, allowing organisations to break down silos, unlock meaningful insights, and boost decision-making agility.

If you’d like to learn more about Microsoft Fabric—whether it’s the right fit for your needs or what the potential costs may be—please don’t hesitate to reach out to our expert Fabric team.