Connect to a SQL Server Database with Windows Authentication

Adam_Borlase — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:53:43 GMT

Good Day all,

I am in the process of trying to connect to one of our SQL servers. It is attached to our Entra for authentication. When trying to create an external connection to the Server in Unity I am getting a failure due to the User and Password authentication (I am not getting a connection error but a login error). Is it possible to create this connection with the Windows Authentication?

Re: Connect to a SQL Server Database with Windows Authentication

nayan_wylde — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:17:06 GMT

Unity Catalog currently support:

SQL authentication (username/password)
Managed identities (for Azure services like Azure SQL Database or Azure Synapse)
OAuth-based authentication (for some cloud services)

Windows Authentication / Entra ID Integrated Authentication is not natively supported for external connections to on-prem SQL Server or Azure SQL from Unity Catalog.

Can you please paste the error you are getting while trying to pass user and password.

Re: Connect to a SQL Server Database with Windows Authentication

Adam_Borlase — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:27:06 GMT

Good Afternoon Naya,_wylde,

Thank you for your response. I have pasted the error below, it is a bit long but I was unsure what section you wanted to see:

summary: SQLServerException: Login failed for user #########. ClientConnectionId:############, data: {"type":"baseError","stackFrames":["com.databricks.backend.common.rpc.SparkDriverExceptions$SQLExecutionException: com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerException: Login failed for user '##########'. ClientConnectionId:#########","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerException.makeFromDatabaseError(SQLServerException.java:265)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.TDSTokenHandler.onEOF(tdsparser.java:300)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.TDSParser.parse(tdsparser.java:133)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.TDSParser.parse(tdsparser.java:37)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection.sendLogon(SQLServerConnection.java:6299)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection.logon(SQLServerConnection.java:4911)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection.access$100(SQLServerConnection.java:90)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection$LogonCommand.doExecute(SQLServerConnection.java:4849)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.TDSCommand.execute(IOBuffer.java:7627)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection.executeCommand(SQLServerConnection.java:3916)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection.connectHelper(SQLServerConnection.java:3358)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection.login(SQLServerConnection.java:2950)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection.connectInternal(SQLServerConnection.java:2790)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerConnection.connect(SQLServerConnection.java:1663)","\tat com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerDriver.connect(SQLServerDriver.java:1064)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.jdbc.connection.BasicConnectionProvider.getConnection(BasicConnectionProvider.scala:49)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.jdbc.connection.ConnectionProviderBase.create(ConnectionProvider.scala:102)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.jdbc.JdbcDialect.$anonfun$createConnectionFactory$1(JdbcDialects.scala:179)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.jdbc.JdbcDialect.$anonfun$createConnectionFactory$1$adapted(JdbcDialects.scala:175)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.jdbc.JdbcUtils$.withConnection(JdbcUtils.scala:1221)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.v2.jdbc.JDBCTableCatalog.listNamespaces(JDBCTableCatalog.scala:226)","\tat com.databricks.sql.managedcatalog.ManagedCatalogCommon.listSchemas(ManagedCatalogCommon.scala:816)","\tat com.databricks.sql.managedcatalog.ProfiledManagedCatalog.$anonfun$listSchemas$1(ProfiledManagedCatalog.scala:156)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.MetricKeyUtils$.measure(MetricKey.scala:1055)","\tat com.databricks.sql.managedcatalog.ProfiledManagedCatalog.$anonfun$profile$1(ProfiledManagedCatalog.scala:63)","\tat com.databricks.spark.util.FrameProfiler$.record(FrameProfiler.scala:94)","\tat com.databricks.sql.managedcatalog.ProfiledManagedCatalog.profile(ProfiledManagedCatalog.scala:62)","\tat com.databricks.sql.managedcatalog.ProfiledManagedCatalog.listSchemas(ProfiledManagedCatalog.scala:156)","\tat com.databricks.sql.managedcatalog.ManagedCatalogSessionCatalog.listDatabasesWithCatalog(ManagedCatalogSessionCatalog.scala:892)","\tat com.databricks.sql.managedcatalog.UnityCatalogV2Proxy.listNamespaces(UnityCatalogV2Proxy.scala:130)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.v2.ShowNamespacesExec.run(ShowNamespacesExec.scala:42)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.v2.V2CommandExec.$anonfun$result$2(V2CommandExec.scala:48)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.SparkPlan.runCommandWithAetherOff(SparkPlan.scala:178)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.SparkPlan.runCommandInAetherOrSpark(SparkPlan.scala:189)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.v2.V2CommandExec.$anonfun$result$1(V2CommandExec.scala:48)","\tat com.databricks.spark.util.FrameProfiler$.record(FrameProfiler.scala:94)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.v2.V2CommandExec.result$lzycompute(V2CommandExec.scala:47)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.v2.V2CommandExec.result(V2CommandExec.scala:45)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.datasources.v2.V2CommandExec.executeCollect(V2CommandExec.scala:56)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution$$anonfun$$nestedInanonfun$eagerlyExecuteCommands$1$1.$anonfun$applyOrElse$4(QueryExecution.scala:391)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.QueryPlanningTracker$.withTracker(QueryPlanningTracker.scala:168)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution$$anonfun$$nestedInanonfun$eagerlyExecuteCommands$1$1.$anonfun$applyOrElse$3(QueryExecution.scala:391)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.SQLExecution$.$anonfun$withNewExecutionId0$9(SQLExecution.scala:408)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.SQLExecution$.withSQLConfPropagated(SQLExecution.scala:754)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.SQLExecution$.$anonfun$withNewExecutionId0$1(SQLExecution.scala:280)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SparkSession.withActive(SparkSession.scala:1175)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.SQLExecution$.withNewExecutionId0(SQLExecution.scala:169)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.SQLExecution$.withNewExecutionId(SQLExecution.scala:691)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution$$anonfun$$nestedInanonfun$eagerlyExecuteCommands$1$1.$anonfun$applyOrElse$2(QueryExecution.scala:390)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution$.withInternalError(QueryExecution.scala:1203)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution$$anonfun$$nestedInanonfun$eagerlyExecuteCommands$1$1.$anonfun$applyOrElse$1(QueryExecution.scala:386)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution.org$apache$spark$sql$execution$QueryExecution$$withMVTagsIfNecessary(QueryExecution.scala:326)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution$$anonfun$$nestedInanonfun$eagerlyExecuteCommands$1$1.applyOrElse(QueryExecution.scala:383)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution$$anonfun$$nestedInanonfun$eagerlyExecuteCommands$1$1.applyOrElse(QueryExecution.scala:367)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.trees.TreeNode.$anonfun$transformDownWithPruning$1(TreeNode.scala:505)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.trees.CurrentOrigin$.withOrigin(origin.scala:83)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.trees.TreeNode.transformDownWithPruning(TreeNode.scala:505)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical.LogicalPlan.org$apache$spark$sql$catalyst$plans$logical$AnalysisHelper$$super$transformDownWithPruning(LogicalPlan.scala:39)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical.AnalysisHelper.transformDownWithPruning(AnalysisHelper.scala:343)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical.AnalysisHelper.transformDownWithPruning$(AnalysisHelper.scala:339)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical.LogicalPlan.transformDownWithPruning(LogicalPlan.scala:39)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical.LogicalPlan.transformDownWithPruning(LogicalPlan.scala:39)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.trees.TreeNode.transformDown(TreeNode.scala:481)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution.$anonfun$eagerlyExecuteCommands$1(QueryExecution.scala:367)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical.AnalysisHelper$.allowInvokingTransformsInAnalyzer(AnalysisHelper.scala:400)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution.eagerlyExecuteCommands(QueryExecution.scala:367)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution.commandExecuted$lzycompute(QueryExecution.scala:285)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.execution.QueryExecution.commandExecuted(QueryExecution.scala:282)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.Dataset.<init>(Dataset.scala:289)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.Dataset$.$anonfun$ofRows$2(Dataset.scala:127)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SparkSession.withActive(SparkSession.scala:1175)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SparkSession.$anonfun$withActiveAndFrameProfiler$1(SparkSession.scala:1182)","\tat com.databricks.spark.util.FrameProfiler$.record(FrameProfiler.scala:94)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SparkSession.withActiveAndFrameProfiler(SparkSession.scala:1182)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.Dataset$.ofRows(Dataset.scala:116)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SparkSession.$anonfun$sql$4(SparkSession.scala:954)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SparkSession.withActive(SparkSession.scala:1175)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SparkSession.sql(SparkSession.scala:942)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SparkSession.sql(SparkSession.scala:977)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SparkSession.sql(SparkSession.scala:1010)","\tat org.apache.spark.sql.SQLContext.sql(SQLContext.scala:696)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal$DbClassicStrategy.executeSQLQuery(DriverLocal.scala:312)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.executeSQLSubCommand(DriverLocal.scala:402)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.$anonfun$executeSql$1(DriverLocal.scala:423)","\tat scala.collection.immutable.List.map(List.scala:297)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.executeSql(DriverLocal.scala:418)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.SQLDriverLocal.repl(SQLDriverLocal.scala:40)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.$anonfun$execute$33(DriverLocal.scala:1169)","\tat com.databricks.unity.UCSEphemeralState$Handle.runWith(UCSEphemeralState.scala:45)","\tat com.databricks.unity.HandleImpl.runWith(UCSHandle.scala:104)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.$anonfun$execute$28(DriverLocal.scala:1160)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.$anonfun$withAttributionContext$1(UsageLogging.scala:426)","\tat scala.util.DynamicVariable.withValue(DynamicVariable.scala:62)","\tat com.databricks.logging.AttributionContext$.withValue(AttributionContext.scala:216)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext(UsageLogging.scala:424)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext$(UsageLogging.scala:418)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.withAttributionContext(DriverLocal.scala:100)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionTags(UsageLogging.scala:472)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionTags$(UsageLogging.scala:455)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.withAttributionTags(DriverLocal.scala:100)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.$anonfun$execute$1(DriverLocal.scala:1096)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal$.$anonfun$maybeSynchronizeExecution$4(DriverLocal.scala:1557)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.execute(DriverLocal.scala:773)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.$anonfun$tryExecutingCommand$2(DriverWrapper.scala:795)","\tat scala.util.Try$.apply(Try.scala:213)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.$anonfun$tryExecutingCommand$1(DriverWrapper.scala:787)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.$anonfun$tryExecutingCommand$3(DriverWrapper.scala:827)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.executeThunkAndCaptureResultTags$1(UsageLogging.scala:669)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.$anonfun$recordOperationWithResultTags$4(UsageLogging.scala:687)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.$anonfun$withAttributionContext$1(UsageLogging.scala:426)","\tat scala.util.DynamicVariable.withValue(DynamicVariable.scala:62)","\tat com.databricks.logging.AttributionContext$.withValue(AttributionContext.scala:216)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext(UsageLogging.scala:424)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext$(UsageLogging.scala:418)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.withAttributionContext(DriverWrapper.scala:72)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionTags(UsageLogging.scala:472)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionTags$(UsageLogging.scala:455)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.withAttributionTags(DriverWrapper.scala:72)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.recordOperationWithResultTags(UsageLogging.scala:664)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.recordOperationWithResultTags$(UsageLogging.scala:582)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.recordOperationWithResultTags(DriverWrapper.scala:72)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.tryExecutingCommand(DriverWrapper.scala:827)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.executeCommandAndGetError(DriverWrapper.scala:694)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.executeCommand(DriverWrapper.scala:739)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.$anonfun$runInnerLoop$1(DriverWrapper.scala:569)","\tat scala.runtime.java8.JFunction0$mcV$sp.apply(JFunction0$mcV$sp.java:23)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.$anonfun$withAttributionContext$1(UsageLogging.scala:426)","\tat scala.util.DynamicVariable.withValue(DynamicVariable.scala:62)","\tat com.databricks.logging.AttributionContext$.withValue(AttributionContext.scala:216)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext(UsageLogging.scala:424)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext$(UsageLogging.scala:418)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.withAttributionContext(DriverWrapper.scala:72)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.runInnerLoop(DriverWrapper.scala:569)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.runInner(DriverWrapper.scala:491)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.run(DriverWrapper.scala:292)","\tat java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:750)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.executeSql(DriverLocal.scala:475)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.SQLDriverLocal.repl(SQLDriverLocal.scala:40)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.$anonfun$execute$33(DriverLocal.scala:1169)","\tat com.databricks.unity.UCSEphemeralState$Handle.runWith(UCSEphemeralState.scala:45)","\tat com.databricks.unity.HandleImpl.runWith(UCSHandle.scala:104)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.$anonfun$execute$28(DriverLocal.scala:1160)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.$anonfun$withAttributionContext$1(UsageLogging.scala:426)","\tat scala.util.DynamicVariable.withValue(DynamicVariable.scala:62)","\tat com.databricks.logging.AttributionContext$.withValue(AttributionContext.scala:216)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext(UsageLogging.scala:424)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext$(UsageLogging.scala:418)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.withAttributionContext(DriverLocal.scala:100)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionTags(UsageLogging.scala:472)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionTags$(UsageLogging.scala:455)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.withAttributionTags(DriverLocal.scala:100)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.$anonfun$execute$1(DriverLocal.scala:1096)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal$.$anonfun$maybeSynchronizeExecution$4(DriverLocal.scala:1557)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverLocal.execute(DriverLocal.scala:773)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.$anonfun$tryExecutingCommand$2(DriverWrapper.scala:795)","\tat scala.util.Try$.apply(Try.scala:213)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.$anonfun$tryExecutingCommand$1(DriverWrapper.scala:787)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.$anonfun$tryExecutingCommand$3(DriverWrapper.scala:827)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.executeThunkAndCaptureResultTags$1(UsageLogging.scala:669)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.$anonfun$recordOperationWithResultTags$4(UsageLogging.scala:687)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.$anonfun$withAttributionContext$1(UsageLogging.scala:426)","\tat scala.util.DynamicVariable.withValue(DynamicVariable.scala:62)","\tat com.databricks.logging.AttributionContext$.withValue(AttributionContext.scala:216)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext(UsageLogging.scala:424)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext$(UsageLogging.scala:418)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.withAttributionContext(DriverWrapper.scala:72)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionTags(UsageLogging.scala:472)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionTags$(UsageLogging.scala:455)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.withAttributionTags(DriverWrapper.scala:72)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.recordOperationWithResultTags(UsageLogging.scala:664)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.recordOperationWithResultTags$(UsageLogging.scala:582)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.recordOperationWithResultTags(DriverWrapper.scala:72)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.tryExecutingCommand(DriverWrapper.scala:827)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.executeCommandAndGetError(DriverWrapper.scala:694)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.executeCommand(DriverWrapper.scala:739)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.$anonfun$runInnerLoop$1(DriverWrapper.scala:569)","\tat scala.runtime.java8.JFunction0$mcV$sp.apply(JFunction0$mcV$sp.java:23)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.$anonfun$withAttributionContext$1(UsageLogging.scala:426)","\tat scala.util.DynamicVariable.withValue(DynamicVariable.scala:62)","\tat com.databricks.logging.AttributionContext$.withValue(AttributionContext.scala:216)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext(UsageLogging.scala:424)","\tat com.databricks.logging.UsageLogging.withAttributionContext$(UsageLogging.scala:418)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.withAttributionContext(DriverWrapper.scala:72)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.runInnerLoop(DriverWrapper.scala:569)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.runInner(DriverWrapper.scala:491)","\tat com.databricks.backend.daemon.driver.DriverWrapper.run(DriverWrapper.scala:292)","\tat java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:750)"],"arguments":{},"addedWidgets":{},"removedWidgets":[],"datasetInfos":[],"metadata":{},"jupyterProps":null,"sqlProps":null}

Re: Connect to a SQL Server Database with Windows Authentication

-werners- — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 16:02:24 GMT

Windows authentication will never work on Databricks as it is bound to a Windows Domain (which is a local LAN concept). So you will have to use another authentication method.

Re: Connect to a SQL Server Database with Windows Authentication

nayan_wylde — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 16:31:50 GMT

@Adam_Borlase Can you try this steps to see there is no network issue.

Use SQL Authentication

Create a SQL Server login (not Entra ID) with a username and password.
Grant it access to the required database.
Use this credential in Unity Catalog's external connection.

topic Re: Connect to a SQL Server Database with Windows Authentication in Administration & Architecture

Connect to a SQL Server Database with Windows Authentication

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Use SQL Authentication