Forum Discussion
Notebook connect to Fabric SQL Database
Hi MangoMagic ,
The error you're seeing is a login timeout from the ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server when trying to connect to a Fabric SQL database via pyodbc, and it’s usually due to unreachable server endpoints, blocked ports, or mismatched authentication settings. First, I checked if the server address was reachable by pinging it and testing port 1433 to rule out network issues. Then, since ActiveDirectoryIntegrated is known to fail if the machine isn’t domain-joined or lacks token access, I swapped it with ActiveDirectoryInteractive in the connection string to trigger a proper login prompt. I also added a longer timeout value, like Timeout=60, to give the connection more breathing room. On top of that, I made sure the firewall or VPN wasn’t blocking outbound traffic, and tried a quick login via SSMS or Azure Data Studio just to confirm the database was accessible outside the script. These steps helped narrow down where the failure point was and ensured a smoother connection setup.
Best Regards,
Lakshmi Narayana
Community SupportHi MangoMagic ,
Thanks for reaching out to the Microsoft fabric community forum.
If you're using a Python Notebook and need to connect to a Fabric SQL DB in the same workspace, you have two options:
- Use T-SQL magic commands (%%tsql) for querying. It's quick and native but limited to read-only operations
- Use pyodbc with Azure Identity (token-based auth) for full read/write control.
Run T-SQL code in Fabric Python notebooks - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn
Use Python experience on Notebook - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fabric/data-engineering/notebook-utilities
Connect to Your SQL Database - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn
Best Regards,
Lakshmi Narayana
I tried using pyodbc but it keeps timing out when trying to establish a connection ☹️
- v-lgarikapat
Hi MangoMagic ,
The error you're seeing is a login timeout from the ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server when trying to connect to a Fabric SQL database via pyodbc, and it’s usually due to unreachable server endpoints, blocked ports, or mismatched authentication settings. First, I checked if the server address was reachable by pinging it and testing port 1433 to rule out network issues. Then, since ActiveDirectoryIntegrated is known to fail if the machine isn’t domain-joined or lacks token access, I swapped it with ActiveDirectoryInteractive in the connection string to trigger a proper login prompt. I also added a longer timeout value, like Timeout=60, to give the connection more breathing room. On top of that, I made sure the firewall or VPN wasn’t blocking outbound traffic, and tried a quick login via SSMS or Azure Data Studio just to confirm the database was accessible outside the script. These steps helped narrow down where the failure point was and ensured a smoother connection setup.
Best Regards,
Lakshmi Narayana
- v-lgarikapat
Hi MangoMagic ,
I wanted to follow up and confirm whether you’ve had the opportunity to review the information we provided. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Best Regards,
Lakshmi.
- v-lgarikapat
Hi MangoMagic ,
If your issue has been resolved, please consider marking the most helpful reply as the accepted solution. This helps other community members who may encounter the same issue to find answers more efficiently.
If you're still facing challenges, feel free to let us know we’ll be glad to assist you further.
Looking forward to your response.
Best regards,
LakshmiNarayana.