Microsoft Fabric Consulting
The unified analytics platform that combines data engineering, data science, real-time analytics, and business intelligence.
EPC Group brings 29 years of Microsoft expertise to help you modernize your data architecture with Microsoft Fabric.
Start Your Fabric JourneyWhat is Microsoft Fabric?
Microsoft Fabric is an all-in-one analytics solution for enterprises that covers everything from data movement to data science, Real-Time Analytics, and business intelligence. It offers a comprehensive suite of services including Data Factory, Synapse, Power BI, and more—all unified in a single SaaS platform.
OneLake
Single data lake for your entire organization
Real-Time Analytics
Stream processing and live dashboards
Power BI Integration
Native BI with DirectLake mode
Our Microsoft Fabric Services
Data Lakehouse Architecture
Design and implement OneLake architecture with medallion pattern (bronze, silver, gold layers).
- • OneLake design & setup
- • Medallion architecture
- • Lakehouse best practices
- • Delta Lake optimization
Data Engineering
Build scalable data pipelines using Data Factory, Spark notebooks, and dataflows.
- • Data pipelines & orchestration
- • Spark/PySpark development
- • ETL/ELT transformations
- • Dataflows Gen2
Real-Time Analytics
Implement streaming analytics with KQL databases, event streams, and real-time dashboards.
- • Event streams & KQL
- • Real-time dashboards
- • IoT data ingestion
- • Streaming ETL
Power BI & DirectLake
Leverage DirectLake mode for blazing-fast Power BI reports directly on lakehouse data.
- • DirectLake semantic models
- • Report migration to Fabric
- • Performance optimization
- • Composite models
Governance & Security
Enterprise governance with Purview integration, sensitivity labels, and access controls.
- • Microsoft Purview integration
- • Data lineage & cataloging
- • Row-level security
- • Compliance frameworks
Migration & Modernization
Migrate from legacy data warehouses, Azure Synapse, or on-premises to Microsoft Fabric.
- • Synapse to Fabric migration
- • Data warehouse modernization
- • SSIS to Data Factory
- • Assessment & planning
Microsoft Fabric vs Power BI: What's the Difference?
Understanding when to use Microsoft Fabric versus standalone Power BI is critical for making the right investment.
| Feature | Power BI Pro/Premium | Microsoft Fabric |
|---|---|---|
| Data Storage | Import models, DirectQuery | OneLake (centralized data lake) |
| ETL/Data Pipelines | Dataflows only | Full Data Factory + Dataflows Gen2 |
| Data Warehouse | Not included | Synapse Data Warehouse included |
| Real-Time Analytics | Limited streaming | Full KQL databases & event streams |
| Query Performance | Import or DirectQuery | DirectLake (10x faster) |
| Best For | BI & reporting only | End-to-end analytics platform |
EPC Group recommendation: Organizations with complex data needs, multiple data sources, or plans for advanced analytics should consider Fabric. Pure reporting scenarios may still benefit from standalone Power BI Premium.
Microsoft Fabric Pricing Guide 2025
Microsoft Fabric uses capacity-based pricing measured in Capacity Units (CUs). Here's what you need to know about costs.
F2 Capacity
$262/month
2 Capacity Units
- ✓ Small workloads & POC
- ✓ Limited concurrent users
- ✓ Basic data engineering
F64 Capacity
$8,410/month
64 Capacity Units
- ✓ Enterprise workloads
- ✓ Full Copilot features
- ✓ DirectLake performance
- ✓ Multiple workspaces
F1024 Capacity
$134K/month
1024 Capacity Units
- ✓ Massive enterprise scale
- ✓ High concurrency
- ✓ Complex ML workloads
Cost Optimization Tip: Fabric capacity can be paused when not in use. EPC Group typically reduces client costs 30-40% through capacity planning, pause scheduling, and workload optimization.
Why Microsoft Fabric?
Unified Platform
One platform for data engineering, data science, real-time analytics, and BI. No more managing multiple disparate tools.
Cost Efficiency
Single capacity billing model, automatic scaling, and reduced infrastructure management overhead.
AI-Ready Infrastructure
Built-in Copilot capabilities, machine learning integration, and the foundation for enterprise AI initiatives.
Enterprise Security
Deep Microsoft security integration, Azure AD authentication, and Purview governance out of the box.
Why EPC Group for Microsoft Fabric?
29 Years Microsoft Expertise: From SQL Server 7.0 to Microsoft Fabric, we've been at the forefront of every Microsoft data platform evolution.
Power BI Authority: Microsoft Press bestselling author with deep expertise in the analytics workloads that connect to Fabric.
Enterprise Implementation: Fortune 500 experience with large-scale data platforms, migrations, and governance frameworks.
Compliance-First: Deep experience implementing data platforms for HIPAA, SOC 2, and FedRAMP environments.
Data Platform Success Stories
See how we've helped clients modernize their data infrastructure
"EPC Group transformed our data analytics with Power BI. We now have real-time visibility into patient outcomes and operational efficiency."
Director of Enterprise Analytics
Director of Enterprise Analytics
Fortune 500 Healthcare System
"Power BI Premium implementation gave our 50 hospitals unified reporting. The ROI was realized in the first year."
CFO
CFO
Multi-Hospital Healthcare Network
"Our patient care dashboards now help doctors make better decisions at the point of care. EPC Group understood our clinical workflows perfectly."
Michelle Davis
Director of Clinical Analytics
Midwest Medical Center
Ready to achieve similar results?
Get Started TodayFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about our Microsoft Fabric consulting services
What is Microsoft Fabric and how does it differ from Power BI?
Microsoft Fabric is Microsoft's unified data and analytics platform combining data engineering (Data Factory, Synapse), data science (notebooks, ML models), data warehousing (Synapse Data Warehouse), real-time analytics (KQL databases, event streams), and business intelligence (Power BI) into a single SaaS platform with OneLake storage. Unlike standalone Power BI, Fabric provides end-to-end data lifecycle management from ingestion to visualization. EPC Group has completed 500+ Fabric implementations across North America.
How long does a Microsoft Fabric implementation take?
Fabric implementations vary by scope: simple Power BI migration to Fabric takes 4-6 weeks, mid-sized implementations with data warehousing and ETL pipelines take 8-12 weeks, and enterprise Fabric deployments with data governance and lakehouse architecture take 4-6 months. EPC Group accelerates timelines using proven Fabric implementation frameworks and migration accelerators.
What are the benefits of migrating from Power BI to Fabric?
Migrating Power BI to Fabric provides: unified data platform eliminating data silos, OneLake storage with automatic delta lake conversion, DirectLake mode for 10x faster query performance, built-in data engineering with Data Factory pipelines, Git integration for version control, workspace-level governance with simplified security, and automatic scalability. EPC Group migrates existing Power BI Premium workspaces to Fabric with zero downtime and backward compatibility.
How much does Microsoft Fabric cost?
Microsoft Fabric uses capacity-based pricing: F2 capacity (2 CUs) costs $0.36/hour ($262/month), F64 capacity (64 CUs, recommended for enterprise) costs $11.52/hour ($8,410/month), and F1024 capacity (1024 CUs, for massive workloads) costs $184.32/hour ($134,553/month). Capacity can be paused when not in use. EPC Group performs capacity planning and cost optimization, typically reducing costs 30-40% vs. equivalent Power BI Premium + Synapse deployments.
Can you migrate from Databricks, Snowflake, or other platforms to Fabric?
Yes. EPC Group migrates data platforms from Databricks, Snowflake, AWS Redshift, Google BigQuery, and legacy on-premises data warehouses to Microsoft Fabric. Our migration methodology includes data lineage mapping, notebook conversion (Databricks → Fabric notebooks), SQL translation, Delta Lake compatibility validation, and BI dashboard migration. Typical migrations take 3-6 months depending on data volume and pipeline complexity.
Do you provide Fabric training and managed services?
Yes. EPC Group offers Microsoft Fabric training for data engineers, data scientists, BI developers, and administrators. Training covers OneLake architecture, Fabric notebooks, Data Factory pipelines, Synapse Data Warehouse, and Power BI integration. We provide managed services including 24/7 capacity monitoring, performance optimization, data governance enforcement, and cost management. Support SLAs include 1-hour response for critical issues and monthly optimization reviews.
Ready to Modernize Your Data Platform?
Let's discuss how Microsoft Fabric can unify your analytics and accelerate your data initiatives.
Related Resources
Microsoft Fabric vs Databricks
Enterprise comparison of Microsoft Fabric and Databricks for data engineering, lakehouse architecture, and analytics workloads.
Microsoft Purview Data Governance Guide
Implement Microsoft Purview for data classification, lineage tracking, and governance across your Fabric data estate.
Power BI Implementation Guide for Enterprise
Deploy Power BI at scale with Microsoft Fabric integration, DirectLake mode, and enterprise governance frameworks.
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Microsoft Fabric Architecture: 2026 Considerations for Services Fabric Consulting
Fabric vs Snowflake in 2026 isn't a feature war; it is a stack-consolidation play. Enterprises already on Microsoft 365 plus Power BI typically see 30-50% lower TCO consolidating onto Fabric (single licensing relationship, OneLake-native semantic models, native Power BI Direct Lake integration) versus maintaining Snowflake as a separate analytics warehouse. Migration runbook is a 12-26 week project depending on workload count and downstream consumer migration complexity.
Microsoft Fabric F-SKU pricing in 2026 starts at F2 ($263/mo) and scales to F2048 ($269,000/mo). F64 ($5,257/mo) is the inflection point; it includes Power BI Premium capacity-equivalent features and unlocks Direct Lake mode across the full Fabric workload set (Data Engineering, Data Warehouse, Real-Time Intelligence, Data Science, Data Activator). For a typical Fortune 500 analytics workload, F64-F128 is the most common starting point.
Decision factors EPC Group evaluates
- Real-Time Intelligence vs Power BI streaming deployment patterns
- Fabric vs Snowflake/Databricks consolidation TCO analysis
- F-SKU capacity sizing (F2 to F2048) with Direct Lake compatibility
- Microsoft Purview lineage tracking across Fabric workloads
- OneLake shortcut strategy for cross-workload data sharing
See related EPC Group services at /services or schedule a discovery call at /contact.