Microsoft Maintenance Impacting Cubes and Power BI (March 8-9, 2025)

What is happening?

Microsoft is conducting scheduled maintenance on Azure Analysis Services in the East US region. Since EBM's infrastructure is built on Microsoft Azure Analysis Services (AAS), this maintenance will impact certain EBM and Catalyst functionalities. It's important to note that EBM and Catalyst systems themselves are not down - this impact is due to Microsoft's underlying infrastructure maintenance.

When will the maintenance occur?

• Start: Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 9:30 PM CST

• End: Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 9:30 PM CST

• Expected duration: Up to 6 hours within this 24-hour window

How long will the actual outage last?

Microsoft has informed us that the actual maintenance could last anywhere from 15 minutes to the full 6 hours during the 24-hour maintenance window. Unfortunately, they cannot provide more specific timing. We recommend you plan for limited access to affected services during the entire 24-hour period.

What systems will be affected?

• Microsoft Excel-based cube files connected to EBM and Catalyst

• Power BI reports, dashboards, and visualizations (in Power BI web service, Desktop, and embedded reports within Catalyst)

What systems will NOT be affected?

• Catalyst websites will remain fully functional (manage actuals, forecasts, budgets, plans, in-app reports, manage hierarchies, utilize Smartload, etc.)

• Catalyst Query Builder tool will not be impacted

What will I experience if I try to use affected services during maintenance?

• If attempting to refresh Excel-based cube files, you'll receive error messages about connection failures

• Power BI refreshes will encounter similar connection errors

• Once the maintenance period ends, normal functionality will resume automatically

What should I do to prepare?

1. Perform a full refresh of your cube reports and Power BI files before Saturday, March 8th

2. Download any essential reports you'll need during the maintenance period

3. Avoid attempting to refresh files during the maintenance window

4. Inform stakeholders about potential delays in reporting

5. Plan critical work that requires these tools around this maintenance window

How will we be notified about updates?

• We'll send emails to all users before the maintenance begins

• Detailed updates will be published on our Help Center

• Updates will also be visible in the Support widget on each Catalyst website

Who do I contact if I have questions or issues?

• EBM Support Team: Submit a request here

Contact support through the standard channels, noting "Azure Analysis Services Maintenance" in your request.

Will there be updates during the maintenance?

Yes, our team will provide updates at the beginning of the maintenance window, during any significant developments, and when the maintenance is complete. Updates will be posted on the Help Center dashboard and Support widget.

Is there anything I need to do after the maintenance?

After the maintenance window concludes:

1. Verify that your reports are refreshing correctly

2. Check data processing jobs have resumed

3. Report any persistent issues to the support team

Why is this maintenance necessary?

Microsoft regularly updates their Azure services to improve performance, security, and reliability. While this causes temporary disruption, it ensures the long-term stability and security of the platform that EBM's infrastructure relies upon.

We understand that system maintenance can be an inconvenience, but these updates are essential for long-term performance and security. By preparing ahead of time and planning around the maintenance window, you can minimize any potential disruptions. If you have any questions or experience issues after the maintenance, reach out to the EBM Support Team for assistance.