Database replicas provide enhanced performance and durability for the learning environment's database. They make it easy to elastically scale out beyond the capacity constraints of a single database instance for read-heavy database workloads. Dual Code can create one or more replicas of your database and serve high-volume application such as Microsoft® Power BI® or other BI (Business Intelligence) applications. 

As part of this service, Dual Code creates a second database instance using a snapshot of the source (e.g. "master") database. It then uses the engines' native asynchronous replication to update the read replica whenever there is a change to the source database. The read replica operates as a database instance that allows only read-only connections; applications can connect to a read replica just as they would to any database instance.

The replica database is accessible to the client using an SQL user account that has limited, read-only privileges. In addition to read-only access to select tables, Dual Code has developed a series of database views to make it easier for you to develop custom reports using your preferred BI application.

The schema of that database is defined from within the learning environment itself. You can view it as an administrator by going to Site Administration > Reports > Database Schema.