Overview
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick Thompson and Landon Oaks cover the most relevant updates to Microsoft Fabric coming out of the 2025 Microsoft Build Conference. The hosts are candid about where Fabric still has rough edges, but their overall read is clear: Fabric is now Microsoft’s primary focus for data infrastructure, and teams that have been watching from the sidelines need to start forming a view on where it fits in their roadmap.
Keeping up with a platform that moves this fast is its own challenge. See how Blue Margin’s Managed Data Service helps organizations navigate Microsoft Fabric and build data infrastructure that is ready for what comes next.
What This Episode Covers
Cosmos DB Integration (1:10)
Microsoft is bringing Cosmos DB into the Fabric ecosystem, continuing the platform’s push to consolidate data services under a single architecture. For teams already using Cosmos DB, this is a development worth tracking as it shapes how data moves across the broader Microsoft stack.
Power BI Write-Back (1:53)
A long-requested feature has arrived natively: users can now input values directly into Power BI reports without building complex workarounds. For finance and operations teams that have wanted to use reports as interactive planning tools rather than read-only displays, this is a meaningful addition.
CI/CD Support (2:38)
New tooling for managing development, test, and production environments is being rolled out, giving data teams more flexibility and control over how they deploy and promote changes. For teams running mature engineering workflows, this brings Fabric closer to the deployment standards they are already accustomed to.
Copilot Now Accessible at Lower Tiers (6:56)
Copilot is now available at the entry-level F2 capacity tier, which runs approximately $200 to $300 per month. That pricing significantly lowers the barrier to entry for smaller organizations that have wanted to experiment with AI-assisted data work inside Fabric without committing to enterprise-scale costs.
Migration from Synapse: Practical Guidance (9:41)
The hosts recommend Fabric for new projects without hesitation. For existing Synapse users, their advice is more measured: stay put for stability unless there is a specific reason to move. Migration tools exist, but teams should go in prepared for potential technical complications along the way.
Cost Monitoring and Resource Management (5:31, 7:37)
Some Fabric features, including copy jobs, can consume capacity quickly if left unchecked. The hosts recommend taking advantage of the new monitoring report to track usage and avoid unexpected cost spikes. For organizations running on tighter budgets, this kind of visibility is not optional.
Free Trials for Safe Experimentation (6:04)
Microsoft now allows users to run free trials within their own capacity, making it possible to test new features in a real environment without risk. For teams that have been waiting for a low-stakes way to evaluate Fabric, this removes one of the last remaining barriers to getting hands-on.
Who It’s For
This episode is worth your time if you are a data engineer or architect evaluating Microsoft Fabric for current or upcoming projects, a technology leader trying to understand where Fabric fits relative to your existing Synapse or Azure investments, a smaller organization curious about whether Fabric’s AI capabilities are now within reach at a realistic price point, or anyone responsible for managing data infrastructure costs and needing visibility into how Fabric consumes capacity.
Why It’s Worth a Listen
Microsoft Fabric is moving fast, and keeping up with what has actually shipped versus what has been announced versus what is still aspirational requires someone willing to do the hands-on testing. Brick and Landon bring that perspective. Their assessments are grounded in real usage, which makes their recommendations more useful than a feature list from a product page.
The Synapse migration guidance is particularly valuable for teams in that position. The honest acknowledgment that migration tools exist but gremlins are still a real possibility is exactly the kind of practical context that helps teams make better decisions about timing and risk tolerance.
And for smaller organizations, the news about Copilot availability at the F2 tier is worth the listen on its own. Access to AI-assisted data work inside a managed platform at that price point changes the conversation about what is realistic for teams without large infrastructure budgets.
