Microsoft Certified: Fabric Analytics Engineer AssociatePrepare and transform data (20-25%)Medium

A data engineer is using a Data Pipeline to ingest data from an on-premises SQL Server database into a Fabric Lakehouse. The SQL Server is behind a corporate firewall and is not directly accessible from the internet. Which component is required to enable secure connectivity between the Data Pipeline in Microsoft Fabric and the on-premises SQL Server?

  1. AOn-premises data gateway
  2. BAzure ExpressRoute
  3. CAzure VPN Gateway
  4. DAzure Private Link
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A. On-premises data gateway

The on-premises data gateway acts as a bridge, allowing Microsoft Fabric services (like Data Pipelines) to securely connect to data sources located within a private network or on-premises.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. Azure ExpressRoute provides a private, dedicated connection to Azure, but the data gateway is still needed to bridge Fabric services to on-premises data sources through that connection.
  • C. Azure VPN Gateway connects virtual networks and on-premises networks, but the data gateway is the specific component used by Fabric for this purpose.
  • D. Azure Private Link provides private connectivity to Azure services, not directly to on-premises resources from Fabric.

On-premises data gateway

A software agent that connects Microsoft cloud services with on-premises data sources, enabling secure data transfer.

  • Acts as a bridge.
  • Encrypts data in transit.
  • Required for Fabric to access private networks.

Memory trick: The gateway is the secure bridge to your on-premises data.

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