Part 3 – Microsoft Fabric Capacity Metrics app

Part 3 – Microsoft Fabric Capacity Metrics app

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Since there is currently no exact formula for calculating the capacity size you will need, it is recommended that you start with the Fabric trial (which allows to test Fabric with 64 CUs performance) or choose a pay-as-you-go Fabric capacity size for testing and then, use the Microsoft Fabric Capacity Metrics app, which allows users to monitor their CU (capacity units) consumption.

This app is designed to provide information about storage capacity and compute usage, helping you to more accurately assess the type of license you will need.

In addition, this app is especially useful for identifying periods of high demand and ensuring that the system scales appropriately to handle the increased load.

 

Fabric capacity Metrics

The Capacity Metrics app offers a plethora of metrics to help users understand their data usage. Here’s a breakdown of some of the key metrics.

1. Overview Page:

At the top of each page, the Capacity Name field allows you to select the capacity the app shows results for.

Multi metric ribbon chart

  • Provides an hourly view of capacity usage.
  • Allows users to drill down to specific days to identify patterns.
  • Displays values for Capacity Units (CU) processing time, processing duration, number of operations, and number of users.

 

Capacity utilization over time

Utilization Tab

  • Shows CU usage over time.
  • Users can toggle between linear and logarithmic scales.
  • Displays CU consumption during background and interactive operations, including billable and non-billable operations.
  • Highlights when the capacity is overloaded with dotted lines.

 

Throttling Tab:

  • Displays delay and rejection over time.
  • Highlights when operations are delayed or rejected if values exceed 100%.
  • Users can toggle between interactive delay, interactive rejection, and background rejection.

 

Overages Tab:

  • Shows the add, burndown, and cumulative carryforward over time.
  • Highlights the percent of carryforward added or burned down during a 30-second period.
  • Users can select a column to drill through to the timepoint page.

 

Matrix by item and operation

  • Displays metrics for each item on the capacity.
  • Users can sort and filter the table based on various parameters.
  • Displays values for CU processing time, processing duration, number of users, item size, overloaded minutes, performance delta, and billing type.
  • The performance delta indicates the difference in performance compared to seven days ago, helping users assess performance improvements or declines.
  • Items can be billable, non-billable, or both.

 

2. OneLake Page:

The OneLake page of the Microsoft Fabric Capacity Metrics app offers insights into capacity storage. Here’s a breakdown of its features:

Filters:

  • Capacity Name: Choose a specific capacity to view its data.
  • Date Range: Display results for a particular date range.
  • Top: Adjust the number of top workspaces shown based on storage volume.

 

Cards:

  • Workspaces: Total count of workspaces using storage.
  • Current storage (GB): Shows the latest storage data.
  • Billed storage (GB): Indicates the storage amount billed. Note that billed storage can sometimes be less than the current storage.

 

Table Visual:

Displays storage details for the top workspaces.  Fields include:

  • Workspace name
  • Workspace ID
  • Current storage
  • Billed storage
  • Billed storage percentage.

 

Column Charts:

  • Storage (GB) by date: Illustrates average storage over the past 30 days, with an option to view hourly data.
  • Cumulative billed storage (GB) by date: Depicts the total billed storage over time.

 

Export Data:

Users can export detailed storage data for further analysis.

 

3. Timepoint page

This page is accessed from the ‘Explore’ button located on the Overview page. It offers insights into the compute impact of all activities within a capacity. It helps users identify which operations, both interactive and background, have the most significant impact on Capacity Unit (CU) usage.

Top Row Visuals:

  • Timepoint: Shows the specific timepoint being analyzed.
  • Heartbeat Line Chart: Displays a 60-minute CU activity window, highlighting the duration of activity peaks and troughs.
  • Cards:
    • Interative Operations: Total number of interactive operations that contributed to CU activity during this timepoint.
    • Background Operations: Total number of background operations that influenced the CU’s activity during this particular timepoint.
    • SKU: Current SKU – Capacity.
    • CU (s): CU seconds availble for this capacity within a designated 30-second timepoint window.

Interactive Operations Table:

Lists every interactive operation impacting CU usage during the timepoint. Displays details like: 

  • Item name
  • Operation type
  • Start and end times
  • Status: Indicates whether the operation was successful or failed.
  • It shows if the operation succeeded or failed.
  • User
  • Duration: Seconds it took to complete the interactive operation
  • Total CU(s): Represents the seconds consumed by the interactive operation. This metric is crucial to determine if the capacity exceeds the total number of CU seconds allowed for the capacity.
  • Timepoint CU(s): Seconds assigned to the interactive operation in the current timepoint.
  • Throttling (s): Seconds the operation was throttled due to previous timepoint’s capacity overload.
  • % Of Base Capacity: (Interactive CU Operations / Base Capacity Allowance) x 100
  • Billing type: Specifies if the operation is billable. or not.
  • Operation ID.

Background Operations Table:

This table shows background operations contributing to CU usage. It’s similar to the interactive operations table but omits the user column.

Burndown Table:

Presents the add, burndown, and cumulative percentages by experiences for the last 30 seconds.

Overages Visual:

Users can adjust the visual scale to show data for 10 minutes, 60 minutes, or 24 hours. It focuses on billable operations and provides insights into carryforward percentages.

Crucial Takeaways:

  • Overloading the capacity can trigger throttling. When autoscale is on, an additional CU is provisioned for the next 24 hours upon reaching capacity. Without autoscale, throttling affects all ensuing interactive operations.
  • CU activity can be influenced by background operations from the preceding 24 hours, attributed to performance smoothing.

How to Install

Installing the Microsoft Fabric Capacity Metrics app is straightforward. Users can access the app through the app from AppSource:

Go to AppSource > Power BI Premium Capacity Utilization and Metrics and select Get it now.

Then, go to Power BI Service:
 Select Apps → Get apps → Search for Microsoft Fabric → Select the Microsoft Fabric Capacity Metrics app →  Select Get it now.

 

For running the app for the first time you need to include:

– CapacityID: To get the capacity ID go to Settings → Admin Portal → Trial or Fabric Capacity → Click on Actions:

– UTC offset:

 

 

Learn more about monitoring capacity usage: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fabric/enterprise/metrics-app-overview-page

 

In conclusion, determining the precise capacity size necessary for your needs can be a complex task, as there is no exact formula available for this purpose. However, starting with the Fabric trial, which provides a performance equivalent to 64 CUs, or opting for a pay-as-you-go Fabric capacity size for initial testing, can be a wise approach.

Utilizing the Microsoft Fabric Capacity Metrics app is highly recommended, as it enables users to closely monitor their CU consumption, providing valuable insights into storage capacity and compute usage. This, in turn, aids in making an informed decision regarding the type of license required for optimal performance.

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