The Jungle of Metrics Layers and its Invisible Elephant

19 Feb 2024

💡 This is a Data Dispatch post.

The Jungle of Metrics Layers and its Invisible Elephant🐘📊

Not just an intriguing title, this is a great article about metric layers (aka semantic layers / headless BI), and the capabilities of Power BI to serve as such a layer.

Written by @Aurimas, the article first discusses what exactly a metrics layer is, and gives an overview of some of the extant offerings in this space. A key distinction is made between “thin” and “thick” metric layers, depending on whether data is stored in the layer or not.

The above is followed by a comprehensive dive into the semantic layer provided by Power BI (queryable independently of PBI reports), and the use of DAX as a query language.

The article is well worth a read, especially if you’re interested in MDS, metric/semantic layers, or PBI.

Find it here: https://aurimas.eu/blog/2022/08/metrics-layers-and-power-bi/.