topic Re: How to create a Unity Catalog Connection to SQL Server using service principal?? in Data Engineering

How to create a Unity Catalog Connection to SQL Server using service principal??

ScottH — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 20:06:55 GMT

I am trying to use the Databricks Python SDK (v 0.63.0) to create a Unity Catalog connection to a Azure-hosted SQL Server database using an Azure service principal to authenticate. I have successfully done this via the Workspace UI, but I am trying to replicate programmatically it using the Databricks Python SDK.

Below is the code that I am trying to use to create the connection, but it doesn't authenticate successfully. The login to SQL Server fails when I try to create a foreign catalog using the connection.

# Authenticate to workspace

w = WorkspaceClient(...)

db_host = "<SQL Server host>"

db_port: "1433"

db_user = "<service principal client ID">

db_password = "<service principal client secret">

# Create the connection using the ConnectionsAPI

connection = w.connections.create(

name=connection_name,

connection_type=ConnectionType.SQLSERVER,

comment=connection_comment,

options={

"host": db_host,

"port": db_port,

"user": db_user,

"password": db_password,

"applicationIntent": "ReadOnly",

"trustServerCertificate": "true"

)

I'm thinking that I am missing something that indicates that the credentials are a service principal and not a local SQL Server user. What am I missing? I don't see how to do this in the Python SDK documentation.

Re: How to create a Unity Catalog Connection to SQL Server using service principal??

nayan_wylde — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 20:34:42 GMT

@ScottH Can you please try this in options.

options={ "host": "<sql-server-host>.database.windows.net", "port": "1433", "authentication": "ActiveDirectoryServicePrincipal", "client_id": "<service-principal-client-id>", "client_secret": "<service-principal-client-secret>", "tenant_id": "<azure-ad-tenant-id>", "applicationIntent": "ReadOnly", "trustServerCertificate": "true" }

Re: How to create a Unity Catalog Connection to SQL Server using service principal??

szymon_dybczak — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 21:29:58 GMT

Hi @ScottH ,

You need to configure it in following way (I've tested it and it works). In a place where a red arrow is pointing you need to provide your own tenant_id:

Re: How to create a Unity Catalog Connection to SQL Server using service principal??

ScottH — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 21:38:31 GMT

Awesome! That worked perfectly! I really appreciate your help - you saved me a bunch of time. Thank you!

Re: How to create a Unity Catalog Connection to SQL Server using service principal??

szymon_dybczak — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 21:40:47 GMT

No problem @ScottH , cool that it worked for you 🙂