Connecting to staging databases

Testing features, as well as the corresponding Creation and Testing stages of the object lifecycle, depend on having valid connections to both the source and target staging databases. These stages are not available right after the project is created and must be unlocked by configuring the required connections.

This page will guide you through configuring the required database connections to enable the testing functionality and unlock the full project lifecycle flow in SQL Tran.

1. Open the main menu

Open the main menu (☰) located in the bottom left corner of the SQL Tran interface.

2. Go to the project settings

In the main menu (☰), click Project settings.

This will open the Project settings screen, where connection settings and other configuration options can be managed.

3. Open the database connections

In the left-hand pane of the Project settings screen, select the Database connections section.

4. Select the target staging tab

Now click the Target staging tab in the Database connections section.

5. Add a target staging connection

Click the Add connection button within the Target staging tab.

6. Enter the target staging connection details

In this demonstration, the target staging database is a Fabric Warehouse. You can either reuse a saved Favorites connection or manually configure the following:

• Server – Enter the name of the Synapse server to connect to.

• Authentication – Choose one of the supported authentication methods:

  • Microsoft Entra Managed Identity – Uses an automatically managed Azure AD identity (system-assigned or user-assigned) and requires no credentials to be entered. Ensure that the managed identity has the necessary permissions in Synapse.

  • Microsoft Entra Service Principal – Authenticates using an Azure AD application (service principal). Users must provide the Client ID (Application ID) and Client Secret. The service principal must have appropriate permissions in Synapse.

  • Microsoft Entra MFA – Requires two or more verification steps (e.g., mobile notification, SMS, biometrics) for secure access. This is configured via Microsoft Entra Conditional Access policies or Microsoft Entra ID Security Defaults.

• Database – Specify the name of the database to connect to.

(Note: For detailed instructions on configuring the required permissions for a service principal, refer to the Fabric Warehouse page. You can refer to the Omni Loader documentation for additional information on configuring connections to Synapse Dedicated Pool and Fabric Warehouse.)

As with the source, you may save the connection to Favorites for future use.

7. Finalize the target staging connection

Click the Apply button.

SQL Tran will attempt to validate the connection. A loading spinner within the button indicates progress, and the button becomes temporarily disabled while the connection to the database is being established.

If any error occurs, it will be shown in red below the button.

Once the connection is successful, the UI will update to display the connection name and an Edit connection button. A green checkmark will also appear next to the Target staging tab (e.g., Target staging ✔).

8. Select the source staging tab

In the Database connections section, click on the Source staging tab to access its configuration options.

9. Add a source staging connection

Click the Add connection button within the Source staging tab.

10. Enter the source staging connection details

In this demonstration, the source staging database is an Azure Synapse Analytics database. Again, you can either reuse a saved connection from Favorites or manually fill in the following details:

• Server – Enter the name of the Synapse server to connect to.

• Authentication – Choose one of the supported authentication methods:

  • SQL Server Authentication – Uses a traditional Username and Password for authentication. Users must enter credentials for a SQL login created in the Synapse master database. This method is generally considered less secure compared to the Azure AD options.

  • Microsoft Entra Managed Identity – Uses an automatically managed Azure AD identity (system-assigned or user-assigned) and requires no credentials to be entered. Ensure that the managed identity has the necessary permissions in Synapse.

  • Microsoft Entra Service Principal – Authenticates using an Azure AD application (service principal). Users must provide the Client ID (Application ID) and Client Secret. The service principal must have appropriate permissions in Synapse.

• Database – Specify the name of the database to connect to.

(Note: For detailed instructions on configuring the required permissions for a service principal, refer to the Fabric Warehouse page. You can refer to the Omni Loader documentation for additional information on configuring connections to Synapse Dedicated Pool and Fabric Warehouse.)

If you manually entered the connection details, consider saving the connection to Favorites to avoid re-entry in the future.

11. Finalize the source staging connection

Click the Apply button to validate and apply the connection settings.

While the connection is being established, the button becomes disabled and shows a loading spinner to indicate progress.

If errors occur during the connection attempt, they will be displayed below the button in red text.

Once successful, the connection is finalized. The connection name will be shown along with an Edit connection button, and a green checkmark will appear next to the Source staging tab (e.g., Source staging ✔).

12. Ready for testing

With both source staging and target staging connections successfully configured, SQL Tran enables the Creation and Testing stages of the object lifecycle. These features are now unlocked and accessible through relevant sections of the Overview, Workspace, and Tests screens.

We will explore those testing features in detail on the next pages.