Fabric Mirrored SQL Server (on prem) does not support VNET data gateway

[rd_123]

I would like to create a mirror for an on prem SQL Server database using a VNET data gateway for connectivity (as we have a S2S VPN set up) but this is not currently supported. When trying to create the mirror, the data gateway dropdown menu does not show the VNET data gateway I created for this process - we know the data dateway is configured correctly as I can access it through a Dataflow Gen2 instead. 

[V-yubandi-msft]

Hi @rd_123  ,

May I know the status of your issue? Have you shared it in the Fabric Ideas forum. If not, please do so it will help the team review and consider it for future updates.

Thank you..

[spaceman127]

Hi @V-yubandi-msft,

that's not my issue, I have suggested a workaround 🙂

Best regards 

[V-yubandi-msft]

Yes, you’re right. Thanks for sharing this. I tagged you by mistake apologies for that.

[V-yubandi-msft]

Hi @rd_123 ,

We understand your situation regarding the use of a VNet data gateway with a Site to Site VPN, and that’s a reasonable use case. You might consider submitting this suggestion to the Fabric Ideas - Microsoft Fabric Community  so the product team can review it for future updates.

Thank you for your feedback @rd_123 , and thank you for your valuable response, @tayloramy 

Regards,
Yugandhar.

[spaceman127]

Hi @rd_123,

You could use a workaround.

Since you already have a connection between Azure and On Premise via VPN, you could use an Azure Managed Instance and connect it to your On Premise SQL Server via Managed Link. Of course, you must first check whether your SQL Server meets the requirements for this.

Here is the documentation for this.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/managed-instance-link-feature-ove...

Then copy the data you need to Fabric using a Copy Pipeline.

Unfortunately, mirroring for SQL Managed Instance is not supported if you use the Managed Link feature.

Here are the limitations when using the Managed Link feature.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fabric/mirroring/azure-sql-managed-instance-limitations

This is not ideal, but it would be one option.

Best regards

[rd_123]

Hey @tayloramy, appreciate the response. Indeed it looks like an on-premises data gateway is required but the gateway software requires Windows server 2019 whereas the on prem database is hosted on Windows server 2016 unfortunately so that isn't an option. 

You're right that I need this gateway to sit behind my on prem network's firewall. I have set up a site to site VPN between the Azure VNET to the on prem network and so if I can get the Fabric traffic going through the azure VNET, then it is effectively behind the on prem network's firewall and can access the on prem SQL server. 

Hopefully the Azure team will be able to add this functionality too as it seems like a pretty common use case. 

[tayloramy]

Hi @rd_123,  

Today, mirroring an on-premises SQL Server in Fabric requires the on-premises data gateway (OPDG). The official “Mirrored SQL Server” docs and the security guide both call out OPDG explicitly for SQL Server sources, not the VNet data gateway. That’s why your VNet gateway doesn’t appear in the mirror wizard dropdown, even though it works for Dataflow Gen2. See: Mirrored SQL Server “behind firewall” notes and SQL Server mirroring security requirements (both updated Aug 22, 2025).

The reason for this is the gateway needs to exist behind your firewall, and a vNET gateway is sitting in Azure, not behind your firewall. 

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