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D_PBI
Post Partisan
Post Partisan

What Synapse Serverless SQL pool authentication type for ADF Linked Service?

Hi,
I'm relatively new to Azure Data Factory and require your guidance on how to successfully create/test a Linked Service to the Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL pool.
In the past, I've successfully created a Linked Service to a third-party (outside our domain) on-premises SQL Server through creating a self-hosted integration runtime on their box and then creating a Linked Service to use that. The Server Name, Database Name, Windows authentication, my username and password all configured by the third-party is what I entered into the Linked Service configuration boxes. All successfully tested. This third-party data was extracted and imported, via ADF Pipelines, into an Azure SQL Server database within our domain.

Now I need to extract data from our own (hosted in our domain) Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL pool database.
My attempt is this, and it fails:
1) I create a 'Azure Synapse Analytics' Data Store Linked Service.
2) I select the 'AutoResolveIntegrationRuntime' as the runtime to use - I'm thinking this is correct as the Synapse source is within our domain (we're fully MS cloud based).
3) I select 'Enter manually' under the 'Account selection method'.
4) I've got the Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL endpoint - which I place into the 'Fully qualified domain name' field.
5) I entered the data SQL Database name found under the 'SQL database' node/section present on the Data >> Workspace screen in Synapse.
6) I choose 'System-assigned managed identity' as the Authentication type - this is a guess and I was hoping it would recognised my username/account that I am building the Linked Service with, as that account also can query Synapse too and so has Synapse access.
7) I check the 'Trust server certification' box.

All else is default. When I click test connection, it fails with the following message:
"Cannot connect to SQL Database. Please contact SQL server team for further support. Server: 'xxxxxxxxxxxx-ondemand.sql.azuresynapse.net', Database: 'Synapse_Dynamics_data', User: ''. Check the linked service configuration is correct, and make sure the SQL Database firewall allows the integration runtime to access. Login failed for user '<token-identified principal>'."

I've reached out to our I.T. (who are novices with Synapse, ADF, etc.. even though they did install them in our domain) and they don't know how to help me. I'm hoping you can help.
1) Is choosing the 'Azure Synapse Analytics' the correct Data Store to chose when looking extract data from an Azure Synapse Serverless SQL pool SQL database?
2) Is using the AutoResolveIntegrationRuntime correct if Synapse is held within our domain? I've  previously confirmed this runtime works (and still does) as when importing the third-party data I had to use that runtime to load the data to our Azure SQL Server database.
3) Have I populated the correct values for the 'Fully qualified domain name' and 'Database name' fields by entering the Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL endpoint and subsequent SQL Database name, respectively?
4) Is choosing 'System-assigned managed identity' as the Authentication type correct?  I'm guessing this could be the issue. I selected this as when loading the mentioned third-party data into the Azure SQL Server database, within our domain, this was the authentication type that was used (and works) and so I'm assuming it somehow recognises the user logged in and, through the magic of cloud authentication, says this user has the correct privileges (as I should have the correct privileges so say I.T.) so allow the Linked Service to work.

Any guidance you can provide me will be much appreciated.
Thanks.

3 REPLIES 3
D_PBI
Post Partisan
Post Partisan

@Anonymous 
I would clarify one thing and ask another.
1) "Fill in the 'Fully qualified domain name' and 'Database name' fields: Ensure that you have correctly entered the Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL endpoint in the 'Fully qualified domain name' field and the Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL endpoint in the ' Database name' field."
Are you sure this "the Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL endpoint in the ' Database name' field." bit is correct?  Shouldn't the Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL pool database (not the endpoint) be entered into this field?

 

2) Are you able to provide a link(s) to instructions/article on how to configure the managed identity to have the necessary permissions to access the Synapse SQL pool correctly?

Thanks.

Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi @D_PBI ,

 

Based on the information you provided, here are some of my insights:

  • Select 'Azure Synapse Analytics' datastore: Yes, it is correct to select 'Azure Synapse Analytics' as the datastore when you want to extract data from the Azure Synapse Serverless SQL pool.
  • Use AutoResolveIntegrationRuntime: If your Synapse source is in your domain and you are fully based on MS Cloud, then using 'AutoResolveIntegrationRuntime' is appropriate.
  • Fill in the 'Fully qualified domain name' and 'Database name' fields: Ensure that you have correctly entered the Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL endpoint in the 'Fully qualified domain name' field and the Azure Synapse Analytics Serverless SQL endpoint in the ' Database name' field.
  • Select 'System-assigned managed identity' as the authentication type: This may be the problem. Although 'System-assigned managed identity' is a valid authentication type, it requires the managed identity to have the necessary permissions to access the Synapse SQL pool. You may need to try using SQL authentication or Microsoft Entra authentication.

Fore more details, you can refer to below document:

Microsoft Fabric, explained for existing Synapse users | Microsoft Fabric Blog | Microsoft Fabric

Managed identities for Azure - Azure Service Fabric | Microsoft Learn

 

 

Best Regards,
Adamk Kong

 

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

@Anonymous - thanks for your response. It's the confirmation I require.

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