Azure SQL Database
This article outlines the integration with the Azure SQL Database connector, enabling streamlined metadata management through features such as crawling, profiling, querying, data preview, and lineage building (both automatic and manual). The connector crawls Azure SQL Database metadata and maps it to the corresponding Data Catalog assets. It also supports automatic lineage generation through source code parsing.
The connector uses JDBC to communicate with Azure SQL Database for metadata extraction and supported connector operations. Access to database objects is established using a service account with the required permissions, allowing the connector to retrieve metadata from the configured database.
Overview
Connector Details
Connector Category
RDBMS
OvalEdge Release Supported
Release6.3.x and later
Connectivity
[How the connection is established with Azure SQL Database]
JDBC driver
Verified Azure SQL Database Version
Above SQL Server 2005
The Azure SQL Database connector has been validated with the mentioned "Verified Azure SQL Database Versions" and is expected to be compatible with other supported Azure SQL Database versions. If there are any issues with validation or metadata crawling, please submit a support ticket for investigation and feedback.
Connector Features
Crawling
✅
Profiling
✅
Sample 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 Azure SQL Database and mapped to the corresponding UI assets.
Schema
s.name
Schema
Schemas
Schema
Table
Table Name
Table
Tables
Table
Table
Table Data Type
Table
Tables
Table
Table
Table Comments
Source Description
Descriptions
Table
Columns
Column Name
Column
Table Columns
Columns
Columns
Data Type
Column Type
Table Columns
Columns
Columns
Description
Source Description
Table Columns
Columns
Columns
Ordinal Position
Column Position
Table Columns
Columns
Columns
Length
Data Type Size
Table Columns
Columns
Views
View Name
View
Tables
View
Views
text
View Query
Views
View
Procedures
Routine_Name
Name
Procedures
Procedures
Procedures
Description
Source Description
Descriptions
Procedures
Procedures
Routine_Definition
Procedure
Procedures
Procedures
Functions
Routine_Name
Name
Functions
Functions
Functions
Routine_Definition
Function
Functions
Functions
Functions
Description
Source Description
Descriptions
Functions
Triggers
Trigger Name
Name
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
Trigger Definition
Trigger Data
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
Trigger Type
Type
Triggers
Triggers
Indexes
Index name
Index
Indexes
Index
Indexes
If unique
Yes /No
Indexes
Index
Synonyms
SYNONYM_NAME
Synonym
Synonyms
-
Set up a Connection
Prerequisites
The following are the prerequisites to establish a connection:
External Supporting Files
The required external JAR files are included as part of the OvalEdge installation artifacts. For driver installation and configuration details, refer to the Connector Drivers Setup Guide. Please contact the OvalEdge Team for assistance related to the driver files and configuration setup.
Authentication Type
The prerequisites vary depending on the authentication method selected for the Azure SQL Database connection. To ensure a smooth and successful configuration, the required setup steps and supporting components are listed separately for each authentication type.
SQL Server Authentication
A SQL Server login must exist and be active.
The account must have access to the target database and required metadata objects.
Ensure the SQL Server instance is configured to allow SQL Server Authentication.
Windows Authentication
Windows Authentication requires additional native libraries depending on the OvalEdge release and JVM architecture.
For detailed file versions and download links, click here.
Azure Active Directory – Password
Azure AD user credentials must be active and permitted for SQL access.
Azure AD authentication must be enabled at the SQL endpoint.
The account must have appropriate permissions in the target database.
Whitelisting Ports
Make sure that inbound port “1433” is whitelisted to enable successful connectivity with the Azure SQL database.
The default port number for Azure SQL database 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 Azure SQL database is properly established.
Service Account User Permissions
It is recommended to use a dedicated 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 Azure SQL database administrator, as users may not have the required access to assign them independently.
Connection Validation
-
-
Valid database credentials
Crawling
Schemas
sys.schemas
SELECT
Crawling
Tables
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES, sys.tables, sys.objects, fn_listextendedproperty
SELECT, EXECUTE
Crawling
Table Columns
sys.all_columns, sys.types, sys.tables, sys.views, sys.extended_properties, INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
SELECT
Crawling
Primary & Foreign Key Constraints
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.KEY_COLUMN_USAGE, INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS
SELECT
Crawling / Lineage Building
Views
sys.views, sys.sql_modules, INFORMATION_SCHEMA.VIEWS
SELECT
Crawling / Lineage Building
Stored Procedures & Functions
sys.procedures, sys.sql_modules, sys.objects, sys.schemas
SELECT
Crawling / Lineage Building
Triggers
sys.objects, sys.sql_modules, sys.schemas, sys.tables
SELECT
Crawling
Foreign Key Relationships
sys.foreign_keys, sys.foreign_key_columns, sys.tables, sys.schemas
SELECT
Crawling
Schema Users & Permissions
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.SCHEMA_PRIVILEGES
SELECT
Crawling
Table Users & Permissions
INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_PRIVILEGES
SELECT
Profiling
Tables / Views
User Data Tables, INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES, INFORMATION_SCHEMA.VIEWS
SELECT
Profiling
Table Columns (Statistics)
User Data Tables
SELECT
Profiling
Top Values
User Data Tables
SELECT
Data Preview / Profiling
Sample Data
User Data Tables
SELECT
Profiling
Non-Null Count
User Data Tables
SELECT
Query Logging / Data Access
Query Logs
sys.dm_exec_query_stats, sys.dm_exec_sql_text
SELECT
Data Access & Query Execution with Governance
User Data Tables
User Data Tables
SELECT
Data Access & Query Execution
User Data Tables (Async)
User Data Tables
SELECT
The connector uses SQL Server system catalogs,
INFORMATION_SCHEMAviews, Dynamic Management Views (DMVs), and user tables to validate connections, discover metadata, retrieve object definitions, perform profiling, execute queries, and build lineage for supported database objects.The configured service account must have the required SELECT permissions on the listed system catalogs, metadata views, DMVs, and user tables. EXECUTE permission is also required for
fn_listextendedpropertyto retrieve object descriptions when available.Automatic lineage is built by retrieving object definitions for supported views, stored procedures, functions, and triggers from SQL Server system catalogs.
Connection Configuration Steps
Users are required to have the Connector Creator role in order to configure a new connection.
Log into OvalEdge, go to Administration > Connectors, click + (New Connector), search for Azure SQL Database, and complete the required parameters.
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory for establishing a connection.
Connector Type
By default, "Azure SQL Database" is displayed as the selected connector type.
Authentication
The following three types of authentication are supported for Azure SQL Database:
SQL Server Authentication
Windows Authentication
Azure Active Directory - Password
Credential Manager*
Select the desired credentials manager from the drop-down list. Relevant parameters will be displayed based on the selection.
Supported Credential Managers:
OE Credential Manager
AWS Secrets Manager
HashiCorp
Azure Key Vault
For more details, click here.
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.
For more details, click here.
Connector Name*
Enter a unique name for the Azure SQL Database connection
(Example: "AzureSQLDatabase_Prod").
Connector Environment
Select the environment (Example: PROD, STG) configured for the connector. For more details, click here.
Connector description
Enter a brief description of the connector.
Server*
Enter the Azure SQL database server name or IP address (Example: xxxx-sxxxxxx.xxxx4ijtzasl.xx-south-1.rxs.xxxxx.com or 1xx.xxx.1.xx).
Port*
By default, the port number for the Azure SQL Database, "1433" is auto-populated. If required, the port number can be modified as per custom port number that is configured for the Azure SQL Database.
Database*
Enter the database name to which the service account user has access within the Azure SQL Database.
Driver*
By default, the Azure SQL Database driver details are auto-populated.
Username*
Enter the service account username set up to access the Azure SQL database (Example: "oesauser").
Password*
Enter the password associated with the service account user.
Connection String
Configure the connection string for the Azure SQL 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 name when running as a plugin server.
Plugin Port
Enter the port number on which the plugin is running.
Credential Manager*
Select the desired credentials manager from the drop-down list. Relevant parameters will be displayed based on the selection.
Supported Credential Managers:
OE Credential Manager
AWS Secrets Manager
HashiCorp
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 Azure SQL Database connection
(Example: "AzureSQLDatabase_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 Azure SQL database server name or IP address (Example: xxxx-sxxxxxx.xxxx4ijtzasl.xx-south-1.rxs.xxxxx.com or 1xx.xxx.1.xx).
Port*
By default, the port number for the Azure SQL Database, "1433" is auto-populated. If required, the port number can be modified as per custom port number that is configured for the Azure SQL Database.
Database*
Enter the database name to which the service account user has access within the Azure SQL Database.
Domain
Enter the verified Azure SQL Database domain name.
Note: This field is enabled only when the application is installed in a Linux/UNIX environment.
Driver*
By default, the Azure SQL Database driver details are auto-populated.
Username*
Enter the service account username set up to access the Azure SQL database (Example: "oesauser").
Note: This field is enabled only when the application is installed in a Linux/UNIX environment.
Password*
Enter the password associated with the service account user.
Note: This field is enabled only when the application is installed in a Linux/UNIX environment.
Connection String
Configure the connection string for the Azure SQL 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 name when running as a plugin server.
Plugin Port
Enter the port number on which the plugin is running.
Credential Manager*
Select the desired credentials manager from the drop-down list. Relevant parameters will be displayed based on the selection.
Supported Credential Managers:
OE Credential Manager
AWS Secrets Manager
HashiCorp
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 Azure SQL Database connection
(Example: "AzureSQLDatabase_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 Azure SQL database server name or IP address (Example: xxxx-sxxxxxx.xxxx4ijtzasl.xx-south-1.rxs.xxxxx.com or 1xx.xxx.1.xx).
Port*
By default, the port number for the Azure SQL Database, "1433" is auto-populated. If required, the port number can be modified as per custom port number that is configured for the Azure SQL Database.
Database*
Enter the database name to which the service account user has access within the Azure SQL Database.
Driver*
By default, the Azure SQL Database driver details are auto-populated.
Username*
Enter the service account username set up to access the Azure SQL database (Example: "oesauser").
Password*
Enter the password associated with the service account user.
Connection String
Configure the connection string for the Azure SQL 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 name when running as a plugin server.
Plugin Port
Enter the port number on which the plugin is running.
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*
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*
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.
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.
After entering all connection details, the following actions can be performed:
Click Validate to verify the connection.
Click Save to store the connection for future use.
Click Save & Configure to apply additional settings before saving.
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.
Navigate to the Connectors page and click Crawl/Profile.
Select the schemas to crawl.
The Crawl option is selected by default. To perform both operations, select the Crawl & Profile radio button.
Click Run to collect metadata from the connected source and load it into the Data Catalog.
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.
Click the Schedule checkbox to enable the Select Period drop-down.
Select a time period for the operation from the drop-down menu.
Click Schedule to initiate metadata collection from the connected source.
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 their 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 schema, tables, views, and columns.
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.
Connection Pooling: Configure database connection pool parameters to optimize database connectivity and resource utilization. For more details, click here.
Lineage: Select server dialects for parsing and setting connector priority for table lineage.
Others: Configure notification recipients for metadata changes.
Build Lineage: Automatically build data lineage using source code parsing.
Delete Connector: Remove a connector with confirmation.
For more details on connector settings, click here.
Profiling Limitations
The following data types do not support profiling:
BINARY
VARBINARY
IMAGE
UNIQUEIDENTIFIER
INT IDENTITY
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.
1
Login failed for user
Description: The connection could not be established because the supplied credentials or authentication configuration is incorrect.
Resolution:
Verify that the username and password are correct.
Confirm that the selected authentication type matches the SQL Server configuration.
Ensure the user account is active and test the credentials using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
2
The TCP/IP connection to the host has failed
Description: The connector cannot establish network connectivity to the SQL Server instance.
Resolution:
Verify that the server name or IP address is correct and reachable.
Ensure the required network port is open and accessible through the firewall.
Confirm that the SQL Server instance is running and accepts client connections.
3
Invalid number format for port number
Description: The configured port value is invalid or contains unsupported characters.
Resolution:
Specify a valid numeric port value.
Remove any spaces or special characters from the port field.
Verify that the configured port matches the SQL Server instance.
4
Failed to retrieve DataSource from DataSourceProvider
Description: The data source could not be initialized because of an invalid connection configuration or connectivity issue.
Resolution:
Verify the JDBC connection URL and database name.
Ensure the SQL Server JDBC driver is available in the application classpath.
Confirm network connectivity and authentication settings.
5
Cannot open database
Description: The specified database does not exist, is unavailable, or the user does not have permission to access it.
Resolution:
Verify that the database name is correct and online.
Ensure the user has CONNECT permission on the database.
Confirm that the user is mapped to the target database.
6
Invalid object name
Description: The specified table or schema cannot be found or is inaccessible.
Resolution:
Verify that the schema and table names are correct.
Ensure the user has permission to access the table metadata.
Confirm that the referenced object exists in the database.
7
Incorrect syntax
Description: The submitted SQL query contains syntax that is not supported by SQL Server.
Resolution:
Validate the SQL syntax before execution.
Use SQL Server supported syntax and identifier formatting.
Fully qualify database, schema, and table names where required.
8
Query execution returns no results or times out
Description: The query could not complete because of timeout, connectivity, or query-related issues.
Resolution:
Verify that the query is valid and returns data.
Check network connectivity and query timeout settings.
Review connector logs for execution details.
9
Could not find stored procedure
Description: The specified stored procedure cannot be located or accessed.
Resolution:
Verify that the stored procedure exists in the expected schema.
Ensure the user has EXECUTE permission.
Confirm the procedure name and parameter syntax.
10
PoolInitializationException
Description: The connection pool could not be initialized because of an invalid connection configuration or connectivity issue.
Resolution:
Verify the JDBC connection properties and driver configuration.
Confirm the supplied credentials and network connectivity.
Review connection pool configuration settings such as timeout and pool size.
11
Windows Authentication fails
Description: Windows Authentication could not be established because of an incorrect driver or domain configuration.
Resolution:
Verify that the required JDBC driver is configured correctly.
Confirm that the domain information is valid and reachable.
Ensure the connection string is configured for Windows Authentication.
12
Azure AD Password Authentication fails
Description: Authentication using Azure Active Directory credentials could not be completed.
Resolution:
Verify the Azure AD username and password.
Ensure Azure AD authentication is enabled for the SQL Server instance.
Confirm that the Azure AD user has permission to access the database.
FAQs
What does the Database (SID) field represent?
The Database (SID) field specifies the SQL Server database that the connector uses to establish the connection and retrieve metadata. Enter the exact name of the target database that you want to crawl or profile.
If the database name is incorrect or the configured user does not have permission to access it, connection validation or metadata crawling may fail.
Before configuring the connector, ensure that:
The specified database exists and is online.
The database name is entered correctly.
The configured user has permission to access the database.
Why does the connector display "fn_listextendedproperty is not supported" during crawling?
This is expected behavior in environments where SQL Server extended properties are unavailable or cannot be accessed.
Extended properties are used to retrieve object descriptions and comments. If they are not available, the connector automatically switches to an alternate metadata retrieval method and continues crawling without object descriptions.
No action is required unless retrieving object comments is a requirement.
Why are no columns returned during metadata crawling?
If the connector cannot retrieve column metadata, it is usually caused by insufficient permissions or incorrect object names.
Verify the following:
The specified schema and table names are correct.
The configured user has permission to read SQL Server metadata.
The required system catalog views are accessible.
The database connection has been validated successfully.
After correcting the permissions or object names, run the crawl again.
How does the connector determine whether a column is nullable?
The connector retrieves nullable information directly from SQL Server system metadata during metadata crawling.
If SQL Server identifies the column as nullable, the column is displayed as Nullable. Otherwise, it is displayed as Not Null.
If the metadata cannot be interpreted correctly, the connector treats the column as Not Null by default to maintain metadata consistency.
Why are some columns skipped during data profiling?
Some SQL Server data types are intentionally excluded from profiling because they are not suitable for statistical analysis or may significantly impact profiling performance.
Examples include large binary objects, image data, and certain specialized data types.
This behavior is expected and does not indicate a connector issue. Other supported columns continue to be profiled normally.
Why are BIT column values displayed as TRUE and FALSE instead of 1 and 0?
During profiling, the connector converts SQL Server BIT values into TRUE and FALSE to improve readability in the profiling results.
This conversion only affects how the values are displayed. The underlying data remains unchanged, and statistical calculations such as row count and distinct count continue to use the original SQL Server values.
Why are no Top Values displayed for a column?
Top Values may not be displayed if the selected column does not contain supported data or if the connector cannot retrieve the required information.
Verify the following:
The column contains data.
The configured user has permission to query the table.
The selected column uses a supported data type.
The profiling operation completed successfully.
If the issue persists, review the connector logs for additional information.
Why are indexes not displayed after crawling?
The connector retrieves index information from SQL Server system catalogs during metadata crawling.
If indexes are not displayed, verify the following:
Indexes exist for the selected tables.
The configured user has permission to access SQL Server index metadata.
Metadata crawling completed successfully without errors.
Run the crawl again after correcting any permission issues.
Why is the view or stored procedure definition incomplete?
SQL Server may return truncated definitions for large views, stored procedures, or functions.
When this occurs, the connector automatically attempts to retrieve the complete definition using an alternate retrieval method.
If the definition remains incomplete, verify that the configured user has permission to view object definitions.
Why does the row count show 0 even though the table contains data?
A row count of 0 may occur if the connector cannot access the table or if the query does not return any records.
Verify the following:
The table contains data.
The configured user has SELECT permission on the table.
The database, schema, and table names are correct.
The profiling operation completed successfully.
If necessary, validate the row count directly in SQL Server and rerun the profiling operation.
Why are foreign key relationships not displayed?
Foreign key relationships are retrieved from SQL Server system metadata during crawling.
If relationships are not displayed, verify the following:
Foreign key constraints exist in the database.
The configured user has permission to access foreign key metadata.
Metadata crawling completed successfully.
After updating permissions, rerun the crawl to refresh relationship information.
Why are synonyms not displayed?
The connector retrieves synonym metadata only when synonyms exist and the configured user has permission to access them.
If synonyms are not displayed:
Verify that synonyms are defined in the database.
Ensure the configured user has permission to access synonym metadata.
Confirm that the SQL Server edition supports synonyms.
Run the crawl again after verifying the configuration.
Why are query logs unavailable?
The connector retrieves query execution history from SQL Server Dynamic Management Views (DMVs).
If query logs are unavailable, verify the following:
The configured user has permission to access the required DMVs.
The selected date range or query filters contain matching records.
The SQL Server instance has not been restarted recently, as DMV data is cleared after a restart.
If the required permissions are available and query logs still do not appear, review the connector logs for additional details.
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