set up Azure Databricks workspace and Unity catalog - how to automate not using Terraform

[RozaZaharieva]

Hi everyone, I am looking for a way to automate initial setup of Azure Databricks workspace and Unity Catalog but can't find anything on this topic other than Terraform. Can you share if this is possible with powershell, for example. Thank you un advanced.

[Kaniz]

Hi @RozaZaharieva, Automating the initial setup of Azure Databricks workspace and Unity Catalog is crucial for efficient management.

Let’s break it down:

1. Unity Catalog Setup:

   • Unity Catalog is used to manage data in your Azure Databricks workspace. It provides a unified metadata layer for organizing and accessing data.
   • To enable Unity Catalog, your Azure Databricks workspace must be attached to a Unity Catalog metastore. This metastore acts as the top-level container for Unity Catalog metadata.
   • There are two scenarios for enabling Unity Catalog:
     • Automatic Enablement: New workspaces created after November 9, 2023, are automatically enabled for Unity Catalog. These workspaces have default configurations, including an automatically-provisioned Unity Catalog metastore.
     • Manual Enablement: If your workspace wasn’t automatically enabled, an account admin or metastore adm...¹.
   • The Unity Catalog setup involves ensuring:
     • Workspace is enabled for Unity Catalog.
     • Compute resources have access to Unity Catalog.
     • Users have necessary permissions to create and access objects in Unity Catalog.

2. PowerShell for Azure Databricks Workspace Deployment:

   • You can use PowerShell to create an Azure Databricks workspace. Here are the steps:
     • Install the Az PowerShell module.
     • Connect to your Azure account using the Connect-AzAccount cmdlet.
     • Use PowerShell scripts to create and configure the workspace².
   • While PowerShell is commonly used for workspace deployment, it’s essential to note that Unity Catalog setup typically involves additional steps beyond workspace creation. PowerShell can help with workspace provisioning, but you’ll need to configure Unity Catalog separately.

3. Automating Unity Catalog Metastore Provisioning:

   • If you want to automate the provisioning of Unity Catalog Metastore, consider using Terraform. Terraform allows you to define infrastructure as code (IaC) and manage resources consistently.
   • In a series of articles, I’ve documented how to automate Unity Catalog setup using Terraform. You can find step-by-step explanations and examples there³.

Remember that while PowerShell can handle workspace deployment, Unity Catalog setup often requires additional configuration. Terraform provides a more comprehensive approach for managing both workspace and Unity Catalog resources. Choose the approach that best fits your requirements! 🚀