Enable a connection to an analytical store and query from Azure Synapse Spark or Azure Synapse SQL

Azure Synapse Analytics provides a powerful platform for building and analyzing big data solutions. With the ability to integrate with various data sources and services, you can leverage the full potential of your data. In this article, we will explore how to enable a connection to an analytical store and query data from Azure Synapse Spark or Azure Synapse SQL. Let’s get started!

Analytical Store in Azure Synapse Analytics

Azure Synapse Analytics offers an Analytical store that allows you to store large volumes of data for advanced analytics and reporting scenarios. With the Analytical store, you can store and interact with data using a variety of tools and languages, including Azure Synapse Spark and Azure Synapse SQL (formerly known as SQL Data Warehouse).

Connecting to an Analytical Store from Azure Synapse Spark

Azure Synapse Spark is an Apache Spark-based analytics service provided by Azure Synapse Analytics. It allows you to process and analyze large volumes of data in parallel, making it an ideal choice for big data workloads. To connect to an Analytical store from Azure Synapse Spark, you can use the following steps:

1. Create a Spark pool: First, you need to create a Spark pool in Azure Synapse Analytics. A Spark pool represents a dedicated Spark environment that you can use to run your Spark jobs. You can create a Spark pool through the Azure Synapse Analytics portal or by using Azure PowerShell or Azure CLI.
2. Configure the Spark pool settings: Once you have created the Spark pool, you can configure the pool settings to enable connectivity to the Analytical store. In the pool settings, you need to specify the storage account and container where the Analytical store data is stored.
3. Query data from the Analytical store: With the Spark pool configured, you can use Azure Synapse Spark to run Spark jobs and query data from the Analytical store. You can use Spark APIs or write Spark SQL queries to interact with the data. Here’s an example of how to query data using Spark SQL:

# Import the required libraries
from pyspark.sql import SparkSession

Connecting to an Analytical Store from Azure Synapse SQL

Azure Synapse SQL is a distributed SQL querying engine provided by Azure Synapse Analytics. It allows you to run T-SQL queries against large volumes of data stored in the Analytical store. To connect to an Analytical store from Azure Synapse SQL, you can follow these steps:

1. Create a SQL pool: In Azure Synapse Analytics, create a SQL pool, which represents a dedicated SQL querying and storage environment. You can create a SQL pool through the Azure Synapse Analytics portal or by using Azure PowerShell or Azure CLI.
2. Load data into the Analytical store: Once the SQL pool is created, you need to load data into the Analytical store. You can use various data loading techniques supported by Azure Synapse Analytics, including PolyBase, Azure Data Factory, and Azure Databricks.
3. Connect to the SQL pool: After loading the data, you can connect to the SQL pool using Azure Synapse SQL. You can use tools such as Azure Synapse Studio, Azure Portal, or SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to connect to the SQL pool and run T-SQL queries.
4. Query data from the Analytical store: With the connection established, you can now run T-SQL queries to retrieve data from the Analytical store. Here’s an example of how to query data using Azure Synapse SQL:

-- Connect to the SQL pool
USE ;

-- Run a T-SQL query to retrieve data
SELECT * FROM . WHERE ;


Conclusion

Enabling a connection to an analytical store and querying data from Azure Synapse Spark or Azure Synapse SQL is a crucial aspect of building native applications using Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can seamlessly integrate your data with Azure Synapse Analytics and take advantage of its powerful analytical capabilities.