Authenticating users
As discussed in the Security overview section of this chapter, each component of Azure Synapse may offer different security features or characteristics. Just as an example, Data Explorer pools only support Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) authentication, but dedicated SQL pools and serverless SQL pools support Azure AD authentication as well as SQL authentication, a mechanism to authenticate identities using a SQL Server-managed credential.
Azure AD is Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management service for enterprises. It authenticates users and allows organizations to authorize access to multiple applications and network resources using one single user credential. It also simplifies access to cloud resources, such as the Azure portal, Azure Synapse Studio, and even Microsoft Office 365. Azure AD offers the following added benefits:
- Unification of user and service authentication on a single location, eliminating the need for companies...