Microsoft SQL Server

This article outlines the integration with Microsoft SQL Server connector, enabling streamlined metadata management through features such as crawling, profiling, querying, data preview, and lineage building (both automatic and manual).

This connector supports connectivity to Microsoft SQL Server environments deployed across Windows-based infrastructure, cloud platforms, and Microsoft Fabric Warehouse via the SQL Analytics Endpoint. It provides flexible authentication options including SQL Server Authentication, Windows Authentication, Azure Active Directory – Password, Managed Identity (User Assigned), and Service Principal, ensuring secure access based on deployment requirements. It also ensures secure authentication via Credential Manager.

Microsoft Fabric Warehouse connectivity is supported through the Fabric SQL Analytics Endpoint, allowing metadata extraction and Data Quality execution using the same SQL Server connector.

Overview

Connector Details

Connector Category	RDBMS
OvalEdge Release Supported	Release6.3.4 and later
Connectivity [How the connection is established with Microsoft SQL Server]	JDBC driver
Verified Microsoft SQL Server Versions	Microsoft SQL Server 2019 (15.0.4236.7) and later

The Microsoft SQL Server connector has been validated with the mentioned "Verified Microsoft SQL Server Versions" and is expected to be compatible with other supported Microsoft SQL Server versions. If there are any issues with validation or metadata crawling, please submit a support ticket for investigation and feedback.

Connector Features

Feature	Availability
Crawling	✅
Delta Crawling	❌
Profiling	✅
Query Sheet	✅
Data Preview	✅
Auto Lineage	✅
Manual Lineage	✅
Secure Authentication via Credential Manager	✅
Data Quality	✅
DAM (Data Access Management)	❌
Bridge	✅

Metadata Mapping

The following objects are crawled from Microsoft SQL Server and mapped to the corresponding UI assets.

SQL Server Object	SQL Server Property	OvalEdge Attribute	OvalEdge Category	OvalEdge Type
Table	Table Name	Table	Tables	Table
Table	Table Type	Table	Tables	Table
Table	Table Comments	Source Description	Descriptions	Source Description
Columns	Column Name	Column	Table Columns	-
Columns	Data Type	Column Type	Table Columns	-
Columns	Description	Source Description	Table Columns	-
Columns	Ordinal Position	Column Position	Table Columns	-
Columns	Length	Data Type Size	Table Columns	-
Views	View Name	View	Tables	View
Views	Text	View Query	Views	View
Procedures	Routine_name	Name	Procedures	-
Procedures	Description	Source Description	Descriptions	-
Procedures	Routine_definition	Procedure	Procedures	-
Functions	Routine_name	Name	Functions	-
Functions	Routine_definition	Function	Functions	-
Functions	Description	Source Description	Descriptions	-
Triggers	Trigger Name	Name	Triggers	-
Triggers	Trigger Definition	Trigger Data	Triggers	-
Triggers	Trigger Type	Type	Triggers	-

Set up a Connection

Prerequisites

The following are the prerequisites to establish a connection:

Whitelisting Ports

Make sure that inbound port “1433” is whitelisted to enable successful connectivity with the Microsoft SQL Server database.

The default port number for Microsoft SQL Server is 1433. If a different port is used, ensure that the updated port number is specified during connection setup, the port is whitelisted, and communication between the system and Microsoft SQL Server is properly established.

Port configuration is not applicable for Managed Identity – User Assigned connections, as authentication and connectivity are handled through Azure identity-based access.

Authentication Type

The prerequisites vary depending on the authentication method selected for the SQL Server connection. To ensure a smooth and successful configuration, the required setup steps and supporting components are listed separately for each authentication type.

1. SQL Server Authentication

   1. A SQL Server login must exist and be active.

   2. The account must have access to the target database and required metadata objects.

   3. Ensure the SQL Server instance is configured to allow SQL Server Authentication.

2. Windows Authentication

   1. Windows Authentication requires additional native libraries depending on the OvalEdge release and JVM architecture.

   2. For detailed file versions and download links, click here.

3. Azure Active Directory – Password

   1. Azure AD user credentials must be active and permitted for SQL access.

   2. Azure AD authentication must be enabled at the SQL endpoint.

   3. The account must have appropriate permissions in the target database.

4. Managed Identity – User Assigned

   1. A User Assigned Managed Identity must be created and assigned to the compute resource where OvalEdge or the Bridge/Plugin is running.

   2. The managed identity must be granted access to the SQL endpoint and required database objects.

   3. Required role assignments must be completed in Azure to allow token-based authentication.

This authentication method is commonly used for Azure-hosted SQL endpoints such as Fabric Warehouse.

1. Service Principal

   1. An Azure AD App Registration (Service Principal) must be created.

   2. A valid client secret must be generated and available.

   3. The Service Principal must be granted appropriate database access and permissions.

   4. Tenant-level and resource-level access must be configured based on organizational security policies.

Ensure the Service Principal has access to the SQL endpoint and database objects required for metadata extraction and Data Quality execution.

Service Principal authentication is supported for SQL endpoints where Azure AD application-based authentication is enabled, including Microsoft Fabric Warehouse.

Service Account User Permissions

It is recommended to use a separate service account to establish the connection to the data source, configured with the following minimum set of permissions.

👨‍💻Who can provide these permissions? These permissions are typically granted by the Microsoft SQL Server administrator, as users may not have the required access to assign them independently.

Operation	Objects	System Tables	Access Permission
Crawling & Profiling	Schema	sys.schemas	SELECT
Crawling & Profiling	Schema	extended_properties	SELECT
Crawling & Profiling	Tables	information_schema.tables	SELECT
Crawling & Profiling	Tables	fn_listextendedproperty	SELECT
Crawling & Profiling	Table Columns	sys.all_columns	SELECT
Crawling & Profiling	Table Columns	sys.types	SELECT
Crawling & Profiling	Table Columns	sys.views	SELECT
Crawling & Profiling	Table Columns	information_schema.columns	SELECT
Crawling & Profiling	Table Columns	information_schema.key_column_usage	SELECT
Crawling & Profiling	Table Columns	information_schema.table_constraints	SELECT
Crawling, Profiling & Lineage Building	Views	information_schema.views	View Definition
Crawling, Profiling & Lineage Building	Views	sys.objects	View Definition
Crawling & Lineage Building	Functions & Stored Procedures Source code	information_schema.routines	View Definition
Crawling & Lineage Building	Functions & Stored Procedures Source code	sys.sql_modules	View Definition
Crawling & Lineage Building	Functions & Stored Procedures Source code	sys.extended_properties	View Definition
Crawling	Triggers	sys.objects	SELECT
Crawling	Triggers	sql_modules	SELECT
Crawling	Synonyms	sys.synonyms	SELECT
Crawling	Relationships	sys.foreign_keys	SELECT
Crawling	Indexes	on specified table	View Definition

Connection Configuration Steps

Users are required to have the Connector Creator role in order to configure a new connection.

1. Log into OvalEdge, go to Administration > Connectors, click + (New Connector), search for Microsoft SQL Server, and complete the required parameters.

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory for establishing a connection.

Field Name	Description
Connector Type	By default, "SQL Server" is displayed as the selected connector type.
Authentication	The following five types of authentication are supported for Microsoft SQL Server: SQL Server Authentication Windows Authentication Azure Active Directory - Password Managed Identity - User Assigned Service Principal

SQL Server Authentication

Field Name	Description
Credential Manager*	Select the desired credentials manager from the drop-down list. The corresponding parameters will be displayed based on the selected option. Supported Credential Managers: OE Credential Manager AWS Secrets Manager HashiCorp Vault Azure Key Vault
License Add Ons	Select the checkbox for Auto Lineage Add-On to build data lineage automatically. Select the checkbox for Data Quality Add-On to identify data quality issues using data quality rules and anomaly detection.
Connector Name*	Enter a unique name for the Microsoft SQL Server connection (Example: "SQL Server_Prod").
Connector Environment	Select the environment (Example: PROD, STG) configured for the connector.
Connector description	Enter a brief description of the connector.
Server*	Enter the Microsoft SQL server name or IP address (Example: xxxx-sqlserver.xxxx4ijtzasl.xx-south-1.rds.xxxxxws.com or xxx.xx8.x.10).
Port*	By default, the port number for the Microsoft SQL Server, "1433" is auto-populated. If required, the port number can be modified as per custom port number that is configured for the Microsoft SQL Server.
Database*	Enter the database name to which the service account user has access within the Microsoft SQL Server.
Driver*	By default, the Microsoft SQL Server driver details are auto-populated.
Username*	Enter the service account username set up to access the Microsoft SQL Server database (Example: "oesauser").
Password*	Enter the password associated with the service account user.
Connection String	Configure the connection string for the Microsoft SQL Server database: Automatic Mode: The system generates a connection string based on the provided credentials. Manual Mode: Enter a valid connection string manually. Replace placeholders with actual database details. {sid} refers to Database Name.
Plugin Server	Enter the server’s name when running as a plugin server.
Plugin Port	Enter the port number on which the plugin is running.

Windows Authentication

Azure Active Directory - Password

Managed Identity - User Assigned

Service Principal

Default Governance Roles

Default Governance Roles*	Select the appropriate users or teams for each governance role from the drop-down list. All users configured in the security settings are available for selection.

Admin Roles

Admin Roles*	Select one or more users from the dropdown list for Integration Admin and Security & Governance Admin. All users configured in the security settings are available for selection.

No of Archive Objects

No Of Archive Objects*	This shows the number of recent metadata changes to a dataset at the source. By default, it is off. To enable it, toggle the Archive button and specify the number of objects to archive. Example: Setting it to 4 retrieves the last four changes, displayed in the 'Version' column of the 'Metadata Changes' module.

Bridge

Select Bridge*	If applicable, select the bridge from the drop-down list. The drop-down list displays all active bridges that have been configured. These bridges facilitate communication between data sources and the system without requiring changes to firewall rules.

1. After entering all connection details, the following actions can be performed:

   1. Click Validate to verify the connection.

   2. Click Save to store the connection for future use.

   3. Click Save & Configure to apply additional settings before saving.

2. The saved connection will appear on the Connectors home page.

Manage Connector Operations

Crawl/Profile

To perform crawl and profile operations, users must be assigned the Integration Admin role.

The Crawl/Profile button allows users to select one or more schemas for crawling and profiling.

1. Navigate to the Connectors page and click Crawl/Profile.

2. Select the schemas to crawl.

3. The Crawl option is selected by default. To perform both operations, select the Crawl & Profile radio button.

4. Click Run to collect metadata from the connected source and load it into the Data Catalog.

5. After a successful crawl, the information appears in the Data Catalog > Databases tab.

The Schedule checkbox allows automated crawling and profiling at defined intervals, from a minute to a year.

1. Click the Schedule checkbox to enable the Select Period drop-down.

2. Select a time interval for the operation from the drop-down menu.

3. Click Schedule to initiate metadata collection from the connected source.

4. The system will automatically execute the selected operation (Crawl or Crawl & Profile) at the scheduled time.

Other Operations

The Connectors page provides a centralized view of all configured connectors, along with the health status.

Managing connectors includes:

• Connectors Health: Displays the current status of each connector using a green icon for active connections and a red icon for inactive connections, helping to monitor the connectivity with data sources.

• Viewing: Click the Eye icon next to the connector name to view connector details, including databases, tables, columns, and codes.

Nine Dots Menu Options:

To view, edit, validate, build lineage, configure, or delete connectors, click on the Nine Dots menu.

• Edit Connector: Update and revalidate the data source.

• Validate Connector: Check the connection's integrity.

• Settings: Modify connector settings.

  • Crawler: Configure data extraction.

  • Profiler: Customize data profiling rules and methods.

  • Query Policies: Define query execution rules based on roles.

  • Access Instructions: Add notes on how data can be accessed.

  • Business Glossary Settings: Manage term associations at the connector level.

  • Anomaly Detection Settings: Configure anomaly detection preferences at the connector level.

  • Others: Configure notification recipients for metadata changes.

• Build Lineage: Automatically build data lineage using source code parsing.

• Delete Connector: Remove a connector with confirmation.

Connectivity Troubleshooting

If incorrect parameters are entered, error messages may appear. Ensure all inputs are accurate to resolve these issues. If issues persist, contact the assigned support team.

S. No.	Error Message(s)	Error Description & Resolution
1	Error while validating connection: Exception occurred while validating in SQL Server Connection: Failed to obtain JDBC Connection; nested exception is com.microsoft.sqlserver.xxx.SQxxxxrException: Login failed for user 'xxxxx'. ClientConnectionId: 9xxxxx2-6xxx-4xx2-xx13-xxxx846xx	Error Description: Either username and password might be wrong. Resolution: Ensure the correct username and password are entered in the setup form. Verify the username format. Confirm the user account is active.
2	invalid DB Error while validating connection. Error:Exception occured while validating in SQL Server Connection: Failed to obtain JDBC Connection; nested exception is com.microsoft.sqlserver.xxx.SQLxxxException: Cannot open database "xxx" requested by the login. The login failed. ClientConnectionId:1xxxxx7a- xxxa-4xx9-bxxx-xxxxxx6bxxx7	Error Description: The database name provided is invalid. Resolution: The Database Name field in the setup form contains an incorrect value. Ensure that the database name is correctly spelled and exists in the target system.
3	The TCP/IP connection to the host <HOSTNAME>, port 1433 has failed. Error: "connect timed out. Verify the connection properties."	Error Description: The SQL Server host is not reachable from OvalEdge. This typically occurs due to incorrect hostname/port, firewall restrictions, network routing issues, or SQL Server not running. Resolution: Verify the server hostname/IP address is correct. Confirm the port number is correct (default is 1433). Ensure SQL Server service is running and listening on the configured port. Check firewall/security group rules to ensure the port is allowed. Test connectivity using SSMS or run telnet <host> 1433 from the OvalEdge server.
4	Login failed for user 'test_user'. User does not have permission to perform this action.	Error Description: The login credentials are incorrect, or the user does not have sufficient permissions to access the database objects required for crawling and profiling. Resolution: Verify the username and password are correct. Ensure the account is active and not locked. Confirm the user has required permissions such as SELECT and VIEW DEFINITION. For Windows/AD Authentication, ensure the environment and domain configuration are correct. Validate access by logging into SQL Server using SSMS with the same credentials.
5	Invalid object name 'sys.masked_columns'.	Error Description: The system view sys.masked_columns is not available in the connected SQL Server version, or the environment does not support that metadata object. Resolution: Verify the SQL Server version supports the required system views (example: sys.masked_columns is supported in SQL Server 2016 and later). Confirm that the object name is correct and not misspelled. If connecting to Azure SQL or other SQL-based platforms, verify whether the system view is supported in that environment.
6	Cannot find the object 'sp_myproc' because it does not exist or you do not have permissions.	Error Description: The stored procedure or function does not exist in the selected database, or the user does not have permission to view its definition. Resolution: Confirm the stored procedure exists in the expected database and schema. Verify the procedure name and spelling are correct. Ensure the service account has permission to access the procedure metadata. Grant VIEW DEFINITION permission if required. Validate object availability using SSMS.
7	Could not get JDBC Connection; nested exception is java.sql.SQLException: The TCP/IP connection to the host ..	Error Description: The JDBC driver is unable to establish a connection to SQL Server. This can occur due to network issues, incorrect connection details, authentication failure, or driver compatibility issues. Resolution: Verify the server name, database name, and port are correct. Ensure the SQL Server instance is online and reachable. Confirm authentication credentials and permissions are valid. Review application logs for detailed failure information. Upgrade the JDBC driver if required, especially when connecting to newer SQL Server versions or cloud-based SQL endpoints.

---

Copyright © 2026, OvalEdge LLC, Peachtree Corners GA USA