Connect to SQL Analytics Endpoint Using SQL Server Management Studio | Microsoft Fabric Tutorial for Data Engineers

Connect to SQL Analytics Endpoint Using SQL Server Management Studio

Microsoft Fabric Tutorial

📘 Overview

Microsoft Fabric allows you to connect directly to the SQL Analytics Endpoint of your Lakehouse using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). This gives you the flexibility of traditional T-SQL querying and allows better integration with existing SQL tools.

✅ Topics Covered

• Prerequisites for connecting via SSMS
• How to get the connection string from Fabric
• Step-by-step SSMS configuration
• How to browse and query Lakehouse tables from SSMS
• Best practices for secure connections

🔧 Prerequisites

• SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) v18.5 or later
• Access to Microsoft Fabric workspace and Lakehouse
• Proper permissions on the SQL Analytics Endpoint

🔗 Get the SQL Analytics Connection String

1. Open your Fabric workspace and select the Lakehouse.
2. Click on the SQL Analytics Endpoint tab.
3. Copy the Server name URL (it usually ends with sql.azuresynapse.net).

🛠️ Connect with SSMS

1. Launch SSMS and click Connect → Database Engine.
2. Paste the copied Fabric SQL Endpoint URL into the Server name box.
3. Select Azure Active Directory - Universal with MFA as Authentication method.
4. Click Connect and log in with your Microsoft credentials.

📂 Browse and Query Lakehouse Tables

• Once connected, expand the database and schema to see your Lakehouse tables.
• Use standard T-SQL to run queries like:

  SELECT TOP 100 * FROM dbo.SalesTransactions;

• You can use joins, filters, group by, etc. just like in Azure SQL.

💡 Best Practices

• Always use Azure AD authentication to avoid storing passwords.
• Restrict user access with RBAC in Fabric workspace settings.
• Monitor query performance using query insights or Synapse integration if available.
• Use schema naming conventions for easier discovery and documentation.

🎥 Watch Full Tutorial

Blog created with help from ChatGPT and Gemini.