Before running the Power BI Desktop Performance Analyzer, what should you do to ensure the data engine cache does not affect the test results?

Using DAX Studio to connect to the data model before running the Power BI Desktop Performance Analyzer is a sound approach to ensure that the results of your performance tests are not impacted by the data engine cache. When DAX Studio connects to the Power BI data model, it opens a direct line to the data engine and allows you to interact with the model in a way that can help you observe and analyze performance metrics accurately.

One key aspect of this connection is that it provides options to clear the data engine cache or perform other actions that could help you obtain a fresh state of the model. By stepping into this environment, you can ensure that any cached queries or data artifacts do not skew the results you are trying to measure, thus giving you a clean slate for your performance analysis.

In contrast, adding a blank page to the .pbix file or invoking the Refresh Metadata function may not effectively address the cache issue in the data engine, as they do not provide a mechanism to interact with the cache directly. Similarly, while invoking the Clear Cache function sounds like a logical choice, connecting DAX Studio allows for a more robust set of tools and a clearer understanding of performance metrics and the current state of the data model, making it the more comprehensive approach in this scenario