What is OneLake in Microsoft Fabric

Is your company drowning in a sea of data but struggling to extract valuable insights that translate into real growth and a competitive edge? In today’s dynamic world, the fast and effective use of data is not a luxury but a necessity.

This is where Microsoft Fabric comes in, a revolutionary analytics platform that integrates data, people, and technology in one place, turning your digital resources into a powerful business tool.

Thanks to solutions such as Microsoft Fabric and OneLake, enterprises can centralise their data resources, simplify management, and support the development of intelligent applications. AI transformation becomes easier, and companies can respond faster to dynamic market changes by using the full potential of their data.

What is Microsoft Fabric?

Microsoft Fabric is a comprehensive, integrated data and analytics platform designed for enterprises seeking a simple yet versatile solution for collecting, processing, and analysing information. The platform operates in the SaaS (Software as a Service) model, which ensures ease of use, high scalability, and security.

The key assumption of the platform is the unification of resources and services in one consistent environment. Instead of integrating solutions from different providers, Microsoft Fabric offers a unified technology stack based on Microsoft Azure cloud, which streamlines the work of both business teams and IT specialists.

Data in Microsoft Fabric is stored in OneLake, a central repository that eliminates the need for multiple, often dispersed data stores. This allows companies to manage access more effectively, maintain data consistency, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Built-in artificial intelligence (AI) mechanisms help better understand data and use it within Microsoft Azure AI Services and specific applications, from real-time reporting to advanced machine learning modelling available in Microsoft Azure AI Foundry.

One of the most innovative elements of the platform is Microsoft 365 Copilot, an integral part of Fabric. Copilot is an assistant based on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) that automates routine tasks, fills in gaps in specialised knowledge, and suggests optimal data operations. As a result, users can create reports faster, formulate queries, and implement data engineering processes without the need to write complex scripts.

Moreover, Copilot analyses the context of data and adapts suggestions to specific business needs. As a result, organisations using Microsoft Fabric, supported by Microsoft Copilot, gain an integrated environment for efficiently connecting data from diverse sources such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, designing advanced analytical pipelines, and using machine learning algorithms, as well as ready-made large (LLM) and small (SLM) models in daily work.

This consistent platform significantly reduces administrative costs, accelerates the deployment of new projects in Power Platform and Microsoft Copilot Studio, and effectively supports teams at every level in maximising the potential of information.

What applications are included in Microsoft Fabric?

Microsoft Fabric is a suite of services with broad application across the entire data processing and analysis cycle. It offers a unified platform in which each component plays a key role in the ecosystem.

This gives companies versatile tools for data migration, management, and analysis, as well as for creating innovative AI solutions.

• Fabric Data Factory - This is a modern tool for integrating and preparing data from various sources. It allows the automation of ETL/ELT processes, task scheduling, and fast transfer of even gigantic volumes of information to target data warehouses. In addition to a rich library of connectors, Data Factory provides mechanisms functional in AI transformation, such as built-in support for intelligent data flows. Thanks to its simple interface, both experienced programmers and business specialists can quickly create data pipelines without the need to write complicated scripts.
• Fabric Data Engineering - A module created for teams specialising in advanced calculations and data engineering. It offers a Spark cluster-based environment, enabling fast processing of massive datasets and integration with other Fabric components. This fosters the creation of scalable machine learning projects, supported by configurable tools and libraries.
• Fabric Data Warehouse - A high-performance data warehouse designed with scalability and flexibility in mind. It allows the separation of computing resources from storage, enabling users to manage performance and costs independently. It supports the native Delta Lake format and integrates seamlessly with other services.
• Fabric Databases - Facilitate the management of relational and custom data structures in a centralised environment. They allow quick replication of data from various sources and consistent scaling for transactional and analytical applications.
• Fabric Data Science - A module that simplifies the design, training, and deployment of machine learning models. It supports integration with Azure Machine Learning and provides a set of tools that facilitate experiments and model lifecycle management.
• Fabric Real-time Intelligence - Provides instant collection and processing of streaming data, enabling real-time event monitoring and log analysis. This allows companies to respond quickly to dynamically changing business conditions based on current data.
• Fabric Power BI - A well-known and valued tool for visualisation and interactive data analysis. In the Fabric environment, it provides easy access to all resources in OneLake, speeding up the creation of reports and dashboards.
• Copilot in Fabric - Copilot is an AI assistant that supports users in automating tasks related to data transformation, cleaning, and modelling. Its ability to generate suggestions and code significantly accelerates the implementation of new analytical processes and learning how to use the platform.
• Fabric OneLake - A central data repository where all files and tables are collected. Thanks to consistent storage, information can be easily shared across different Fabric moduless and data duplication can be avoided.
• Microsoft Purview - A comprehensive solution for data governance and security. It allows monitoring the flow of information within Fabric and establishing governance and compliance policies.
• Fabric Industry Solutions - Provides dedicated industry-specific data solutions that form a solid foundation for data management, analysis, and key decision-making. These solutions address the specific challenges of different sectors, enabling companies to optimise processes, combine data from many sources, and use advanced analytical tools.

Microsoft Fabric combines all these areas into a unified data platform, offering the most versatile solution for analysing large datasets across industries. Fabric enables organisations and individuals to transform large and complex data repositories into practical working solutions and business analyses.

The future of cloud data lakes in unified data platforms

Cloud data lake systems are undergoing a dynamic transformation that fundamentally changes the way enterprises manage and analyse data. In the coming years, the primary trend will be the development of the lakehouse architecture, combining the flexibility of data lakes with the structured approach of data warehouses, enabling more effective use of business information.

The coming years will bring intensive development of real-time data processing technologies, allowing companies to react instantly to market changes. At the same time, AI integration with data lakes is progressing, automating analysis and pattern discovery. The importance of hybrid and multi-cloud architectures is also increasing, providing companies with flexibility and resilience.

Fundamental to the concept of data mesh is a decentralised approach to data management that assigns responsibility to domain teams, improving alignment with business needs and data quality.

• According to Market.us, the global data lake market will reach USD 90 billion by 2032, with annual growth of 21.3%.
• The global cloud data platform market, valued at USD 22.78 billion in 2025, is expected to grow to USD 104.50 billion by 2033.
• By 2025, about 30% of global data will be generated in real time, emphasising the importance of rapid analytics systems.
• The total volume of data created, captured, and processed worldwide will reach 181 zettabytes by 2025.
• Research published on arxiv.org indicates that modern cloud-based and microservice-based data lakehouse architectures significantly improve data management efficiency and support reproducibility, for example, in scientific research.

The evolution of cloud data lakes toward integrated analytical platforms indicates a fundamental shift in information management, enabling companies to make faster and more precise business decisions.

What is Fabric OneLake

Fabric OneLake is the central element of Microsoft Fabric, serving as an integrated data store for the entire organisation. Built on Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS) Gen2, OneLake offers a unified data storage system that supports both professional developers and business users. With this solution, companies can eliminate data silos, ensuring easy access, management, and sharing of information across the organisation.

OneLake has a hierarchical structure that simplifies data management. At the top of the hierarchy is the tenant, which can contain multiple workspaces, equivalent to folders. Inside each workspace, lakehouses can be created, which are collections of files, folders, and tables representing databases based on data lakes. This organisation enables efficient management of large amounts of data and their fast processing and analysis.

In the context of AI, OneLake integrates with advanced tools such as Copilot, which supports analytical processes and data modelling. Thanks to built-in AI functions, users can automate routine tasks, generate intelligent suggestions, and create advanced analytical models without deep technical knowledge.

OneLake also enables easy integration of data from various sources, which is crucial for practical AI model training and gaining valuable business insights. Additionally, OneLake provides advanced data security and management mechanisms. Centralised access and security policy management allow companies to protect their data resources while enabling flexible access for authorised users.

Integration with Microsoft 365 and other Microsoft services enables seamless collaboration and increases team productivity. All these features make OneLake not only a data store but also a key tool supporting AI transformation in companies, enabling rapid transition from raw data to valuable analyses and business decisions.

Who is Fabric OneLake for?

Fabric OneLake is designed for companies of all sizes that require efficient data management and support for analytical and AI processes.

It is ideally suited for organisations that want to centralise their data resources, eliminate information silos, and improve collaboration between departments.

OneLake is also an excellent solution for data science teams that need easy access to large datasets and tools supporting their work.

How to use Fabric OneLake in business?

OneLake in Microsoft Fabric offers a wide range of applications across different business areas:

• Centralisation of data: Collecting all company data in one place, making management and access easier.
• Data analysis: Using advanced analytical tools to generate valuable insights.
• Support for AI: Facilitating the creation and deployment of AI models through integration with tools such as Copilot.
• Data security: Managing access and data protection policies centrally.
• Collaboration: Allowing teams to work together on a shared platform increases work efficiency.

What are the benefits of using Fabric OneLake?

Using Fabric OneLake brings many benefits to companies:

• Unified data store: Centralising data in one place eliminates information silos.
• Scalability: Ability to easily scale resources as the company’s needs grow.
• Integration with Microsoft: Seamless collaboration with other Microsoft services, increasing work efficiency.
• Security: Advanced data protection mechanisms ensure information security.
• Ease of use: An intuitive interface enables quick adoption and use of the platform even by users without advanced technical knowledge.

What are the benefits of using Fabric OneLake in AI transformation?

Using Fabric OneLake in AI transformation processes brings a range of benefits:

• Acceleration of analysis: Automation of routine analytical tasks thanks to AI integration.
• Better AI models: Easier access to diverse data supports the creation of more accurate models.
• Effective collaboration: Centralised data enables teams to collaborate better on AI projects.
• Security and compliance: Advanced data protection features support safe AI deployment.
• Scalability: Ability to develop and scale AI solutions as the company’s needs grow.

How does OneLake integrate with other Microsoft Fabric modules?

OneLake is the heart of Microsoft Fabric, integrating with many other platform modules to ensure consistent and effective data management and support for advanced analytical and AI processes. Thanks to OneLake, components such as Data Engineering, Data Factory, Data Science, Data Warehouse, Real-Time Intelligence, and Power BI can work together in one ecosystem, using centrally stored data.

For example, data collected in OneLake can be easily processed by Data Engineering tools to build complex data pipelines and then analysed with Power BI to visualise key business indicators. Real-Time Intelligence enables instant analysis of data streams, which is ideal for applications requiring rapid response to changing data.

In addition, OneLake supports integration with AI tools such as Copilot, which use data to generate intelligent suggestions, automate tasks, and create advanced predictive models. This allows teams to quickly move from raw data to valuable insights, increasing the efficiency and innovativeness of their activities.

Centralisation of data in OneLake also simplifies security and compliance management, as access policies and data protection are managed in one place. This ensures data consistency and security across all Microsoft Fabric modules, eliminating the need to manually configure protections for each component separately.

Return on investment of implementing the unified Microsoft Fabric data platform

The Forrester report The Total Economic Impact™ Of Microsoft Fabric (TEI) shows that Microsoft Fabric provides a 379% return on investment (ROI) over three years with USD 9.79 million NPV. Analysing a company with revenues of USD 5 billion, Fabric increased the productivity of data engineers by 25% (USD 1.8 million savings), increased the efficiency of business analysts by 20% (USD 4.8 million savings), and generated USD 3.6 million in gains thanks to better decisions.

Infrastructure savings reached USD 779,000, and employee retention improved by 8%. The unified platform integrates data engineering, warehousing, science, and real-time analysis, eliminating silos. The SaaS model and intuitive interface enable data availability across the organisation, supporting data-driven strategies, according to the Forrester TEI study commissioned by Microsoft.

Summary

OneLake in Microsoft Fabric is a powerful tool that revolutionises the way data is managed and supports AI transformation in companies. Thanks to data centralisation, advanced analytical functions, and integration with other Microsoft Fabric modules and Microsoft Copilot, enterprises gain the ability to use their data resources effectively.

The joint implementation of Microsoft Fabric with OneLake and Microsoft Power BI creates a consistent analytical environment, eliminating data silos and simplifying their management. OneLake provides a central repository to which Power BI has easy access, enabling the creation of interactive visualisations. Additionally, the implementation of Microsoft 365 Copilot integrates AI with everyday tools, supporting employees in analysing data and generating insights. This combination accelerates data-driven insights, increases teamwork efficiency, and enables more informed business decisions.

OneLake not only simplifies data management but also supports the development of intelligent applications that accelerate decision-making processes and increase market competitiveness. Additionally, advanced security mechanisms and ease of integration make OneLake an ideal solution for companies striving for innovation and operational efficiency. Investment in OneLake is a step toward a future where data and AI drive dynamic business growth.