Easy Guide to Integrating SQL Database into Your Fabric Workspace
You can make an SQL database in Fabric fast. This platform gives you strong tools for new data management.
You get smart AI features like vector databases and real-time copying.
You get fast speed and easy scaling with little work.
Key Takeaways
You can set up an SQL database in Microsoft Fabric fast. It only takes a few clicks to begin.
Use access controls such as row-level and column-level security. These help keep important data safe. They also make sure you follow company rules.
Connect your SQL database with analytics tools like Power BI. This lets you see reports and insights right away. It helps you make better choices.
SQL Database Setup
Overview
You can make an SQL database in Microsoft Fabric fast. Fabric is a SaaS platform. You do not need to worry about servers or hardware. The setup is simple. You can focus on your data. Many people say making a new SQL database in Fabric is easy. It only takes a few clicks. The process is so quick that you might think it did not work. But it is just that simple.
Tip: Making a database in Fabric is faster than most other cloud platforms.
Create SQL Database
Get your workspace ready before you make your SQL database. Here are the steps:
Go to Workspaces. Click "New workspace."
Fill out the form. Type a name like "Supply Chain Analytics Tutorial."
You can add a description if you want.
Open the Advanced section.
Pick Fabric capacity, Trial, or premium capacity.
Click Apply. Your workspace is now ready.
After your workspace is set up, you can make your SQL database. You need the right permissions. The table below shows who can make and manage databases:
Think about your data needs when you make your database. Look at your current databases. Decide which ones you want to move or connect to Fabric. Make sure you have the right license and enough capacity. This helps you control your budget and resources.
Configure Access
Set up access controls to keep your data safe. Fabric gives you many ways to control who can see and use your SQL database. You can use protection policies, row-level security, column-level security, and dynamic data masking. These tools help you protect sensitive data and follow your company’s rules.
Microsoft Purview helps you label items in your SQL database. You can set protection policies using these labels. This makes it easier to manage and protect your data.
Fabric uses role-based access controls. These are built into its SaaS platform. Security management is simple. Authentication uses Microsoft Entra ID. You get access tokens and conditional access features. Permissions are managed in one place. You do not need to set up security in many places.
Note: Set up access controls early. This keeps your data safe and makes it easier to manage users later.
Integration and Optimization
Manage Tables
You can keep your tables neat in a SQL database by following good steps. First, use the medallion architecture to organize your data. This method has Bronze, Silver, and Gold layers. These layers help you manage and study data better. Delta Lake helps with ACID transactions and schema rules. This makes your data safe and steady.
You can make queries faster by handling transactions well, making data smaller, and using checkpoints. Split big tables and only get the columns and rows you need. This will help your queries run quickly. Fabric Data Warehouse uses a special system that lets you run many queries at once. This keeps your data steady.
Tip: Use partitioning on columns like Date or Region. This makes queries faster and saves resources.
Import Data
You can bring big sets of data into your SQL database in different ways. Start by splitting your data into smaller parts. This makes it faster and easier to handle. Make your data smaller and use the best types to load it quickly. You can also group similar values to lower cardinality.
Split your data for better speed.
Make your data smaller and group it to save space.
Write good queries and do some math before loading.
Use binning for columns with lots of different values.
Pick the best data types to load faster.
You can bring in data from files like CSV, JSON, or Parquet. Parquet is the main format in Fabric. It is quick and works well for studying data. CSV is simple but can be slower because it needs to read text. JSON is flexible but can be slow because it has nested parts.
You can also link to other databases or get live data using tools like Kafka or Event Hubs.
Connect to Analytics
You can link your SQL database to analytics tools like Azure Synapse or others. Here is what you do:
Make a workspace and give it Fabric capacity.
Get the Synapse-Compatible Connection String.
Set up a link for your warehouse or Synapse Analytics.
Make an Azure Data Lake Gen2 Storage Account.
Give the right roles to your storage account.
Link your storage account to Power BI.
Link your storage account to your Fabric workspace.
Linking your SQL database to analytics tools gives you live access to neat data. You can move data between jobs without extra steps. Built-in tools and AI help you study data and make choices fast.
Power BI Integration
You can use your SQL database with Power BI for live reports. Here is how:
Link Power BI to your SQL database in Microsoft Fabric.
Make a semantic model in Power BI.
Build reports using your SQL database data.
Share your report with others.
This lets you see your data and share ideas with your team. You can update reports as new data comes in.
AI and Automation
You can use AI in Microsoft Fabric to make your SQL database work by itself. AI helps you write and fix SQL queries using simple language. Automatic query running means less work for you and keeps things fast. Live data copying keeps your SQL database up to date for AI models.
You can use Terraform to make and manage SQL databases. This saves time and makes sure things are always set up the same way. Power Automate links different systems and apps, making work easier and with fewer steps.
Note: Automation tools in Fabric help you handle your SQL database well and keep your data moving smoothly.
Performance Tips
You can make your SQL database faster and better. Use ACID transactions with snapshot isolation to keep things steady. Make your data smaller by joining little Parquet files. Checkpointing sums up logs and helps read metadata faster.
Use clear transactions and always finish or stop them.
Keep transactions short so you do not hold locks.
Watch for locks and problems in your warehouse.
Splitting tables helps your queries run faster. Pick columns with lots of different values, like Date or Region, for splitting. Do not use columns with few choices to avoid uneven data. Changing how you split data can help performance.
"Queries that use partition elimination can run as fast or faster with more partitions. If a query does not use the split column, it may have to check all splits, which takes longer."
Splitting in Microsoft Fabric helps your SQL database look at only the data it needs, so it works faster.
Security and Cost
You can keep your SQL database safe with built-in security in Microsoft Fabric. Authentication uses Microsoft Entra ID, which gives access tokens for users. Fine-grained access control lets you set special permissions at different levels. Private Links keep data safe so it does not go over the public internet. Data is locked during travel with TLS 1.2 and when stored with Microsoft keys.
You can lower risks like SQL injection by using safe queries and checking your SQL steps. Always use the newest updates and use separate virtual machines for important apps. Strong passwords and careful email use help stop attacks.
Microsoft Fabric SQL Database uses pay-as-you-go pricing. You pay for what you use. This stops you from paying too much. You can change your spending as you need, which helps your budget. You do not need to buy hardware or pay for fixing things. Managed services in Fabric save you money on setup and running costs.
You can handle your SQL database in Fabric without trouble. The platform keeps your data safe, works quickly, and connects with other tools easily.
Check out features like DOP Feedback and Power BI integration. Use notebooks and pipelines to make your data work better.
FAQ
How do you connect Power BI to your Fabric SQL database?
First, open Power BI on your computer. Click "Get Data" to start. Pick "SQL Database" from the list. Type in your Fabric SQL database info. Click "Connect" and you can make reports.
Can you automate data loading into your SQL database?
Yes, you can! Use Fabric Data Pipelines or Power Automate. Make a pipeline and choose where your data comes from. Set a schedule so it loads often. This saves you a lot of time.
What should you do if you cannot access your SQL database?
Look at your permissions in the Fabric workspace.
Check if your account can get in.
If you still cannot use it, ask your workspace admin for help.