Why Passion Beats Niche | Brian Bønk

Brian Bønk shares his passion for Fabric Real-Time Analytics, the
power of the Kusto engine, and why passion – not niche – should
guide your data journey. A hands-on deep dive into how Microsoft
Fabric handles streaming data, log analytics, and massive-scale
queries with elegance and speed.





00:00 Welcome & Real-Time Analytics Introduction


02:04 What Is Kusto Query Language (KQL)?


04:37 Choosing Passion Over Niche in Tech Communities


09:00 The T‑Shaped Fabric Expert: Why Focus Matters


11:42 The 1% Better Every Day Mindset


15:50 Architecture of Fabric’s Real-Time Analytics Stack


19:47 Autoscaling, Cost & Free Real-Time Dashboards


23:53 Hybrid Models: Real-Time + Lakehouse Balance


25:04 When SQL Still Beats Kusto: Modeling & Cost
Considerations


29:29 Hybrid Architecture with Lakehouse Shortcuts


30:40 The Value of Kusto’s Simplicity & Interoperability


31:19 Feature Wishlist: Materialized Views & Kusto Functions


33:09 Community Thoughts & Event Shout-Outs


34:11 Wrapping Up & Encouragement to Explore Real-Time
Analytics





In this expert episode, Artur sits down with Brian Bønk – the guy
behind some of the best real-time analytics demos in the
community. With over two decades in data and a deep love for the
Kusto engine, Brian explains how Microsoft Fabric handles
streaming data, why Kusto is more than just fast, and what makes
real-time dashboards so powerful (and free of license barriers!).


But this episode goes far beyond tooling. Brian reflects on what
it takes to build focus in the ever-growing world of Fabric, why
trying to cover everything is a trap, and how the “T-shaped”
expert model helps build career sustainability. He also shares
his philosophy: be 1% better every day – and why passion, not
niche, is the true long-term strategy for growth in tech and
community.


If you want to learn how real-time intelligence works in Fabric,
when to use it (and when not to), and what features still need
improvement – this episode is for you.


Artur König: https://www.linkedin.com/in/datakoenigartur/Brian
Bønk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianbonk/Great Real-Time &
Kusto Content: https://dcode.bi/