Dataflow (Gen2): Fabric Warehouse Destination...this was unexpected!

[dhorrall]

Scenario

I wanted to create a Dataflow that changed some data and load the result to a Fabric Warehouse table.

At first, I thought it would not work directly.  I only see Azure SQL Database, Lakehouse, Azure Data Explorer, and Azure Synapse Analytics as Options.  See attached picture.  I figured perhaps you have to dump the results to Lakehouse and then have a Copy step to load to Fabric Warehouse.

On a whim I tried choosing 'Azure SQL database' and used the Fabric Warehouse connection string, and database name.  And voila...it worked!  I am wondering if it is suppsed to work this way.  Why would 'Warehouse' not be a choice?

[SidJay · Accepted solution]

You can think of the "Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL DW)" entry as "Fabric Warehouse". We will be fixing the UI to address the incorrect naming.

[miquelladeboer · Accepted solution]

Hi, we are currently rolling out the Fabric warehouse connector for output destinations in dataflow gen 2. With this new connector you can browse you Fabric workspaces and select your warehouse from the navigator experience in the same way as you currently can with the Fabric Lakehouse connector. This capability will come to your region very soon! 

In the meantime, you can use the Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL DW) connector to load your data to the Fabric warehouse. 

[vitaly]

A few related questions, to clarify the level of support for Fabric Warehouse as the destination of Fabric Dataflows Gen2:

1. According to the documentation at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fabric/data-factory/dataflows-gen2-overview, Fabric Lakehouses as explicitly supported, while Fabric Warehouses are not. Is this documentation aspect out of date? If so, can it please be updated?
   
   
2. We are seeing "New Dataflow Gen2" as an option under "Get Data" in a Lakehouse for all users. We are only seeing it as an option for Warehouse for some users, while others do not see it. What's driving selective availability of this option? Is a feature update currently rolling out in phases?
   
   
3. What are the consequences of using the "Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL DW)" connector to write to a Fabric Warehouse? Given that the Synapse Dedicated SQL pool engine (i.e. "SQL DW") is different from the Fabric Warehouse engine, does the same connector (under whichever label) now support both engines?

Thank you!

[SidJay · Accepted solution]

You can think of the "Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL DW)" entry as "Fabric Warehouse". We will be fixing the UI to address the incorrect naming.

[miguel]

Thank you for the feedback! I went ahead and forwarded this information to the appropriate internal team so they can take a look at this thread.

[Scott_Powell]

Hi, one other thing to please pass along - not only should the name say "Warehouse" instead of "Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL DW)" - when you choose that option, it should also let you find the warehouse by the warehouse name. You shouldn't have to copy and paste in the SQL connection string, the UI should find that for you.

Thanks,

Scott