Azure Synapse Analytics Readiness Resources

Azure Synapse Analytics is an analytical service evolved from Azure SQL Data Warehouse that brings together enterprise data warehousing and big data analytics. Provisioned or on-demand, Azure Synapse offers a unified experience to ingest, prepare, manage, and serve data for analytics, BI, and machine learning needs.

Content is broken down as follows:

  • Keeping Up: latest information and links
  • Fundamentals, Associate, Expert, Specialist: content categorized in increasing level of complexity
  • Certifications: relevant Microsoft exams or certifications
  • Community resources: user groups, events, blogs

Keeping Up

The latest updates on Azure Sypanse Analytics.

  • February 2023 Update
    • SQL Collation and SQL Package support
    • Updates for Apache Spark for Synapse: Spark 3.3 GA; Spark 2.4 retirement in September 29,2023
  • October 2022 Update
    • New Microsoft 365 Pipeline Template Dataflows in Preview
    • SAP Change Data Capture (CDC) Connector is now General Available
    • R language support with key library management capabilities is now in preview
  • September 2022 Update
    • Auto-statistics for OPENROWSET in CSV datasets
    • MERGE T-SQL is now Generally Available
    • New informative Livy errors codes
    • Logstash connector HTTP/HTTPS proxy configuration
    • Kafka Connect support of Protobuf format
    • Embed Azure Data Explorer dashboards in third-party apps
    • Funnel visuals
    • .NET and Node.js support in Sample App Generator
    • Gantt Chart view supported in Integration Runtime Monitoring
    • Maximum column optimization in mapping dataflow
  • August 2022 Update
    • Distribution Advisor for dedicated SQL pools
    • Spark Delta Lake tables in serverless SQL
    • New Cast transformation that was added to mapping data flows.
    • Synapse Data Explorer updates
    • SynapseML improvements
    • Security Updates
  • June 2022 Update
    • Azure Orbital analytics
    • Azure Synapse Success by Design
    • Synapse Data Explorer updates
  • May 2022 Update
    • Data warehouse migration guide for dedicated SQL Pools
    • Apache Spark for Synapse
    • Synapse Data Explorer
    • Data Integration
    • Synapse Link
  • January 2022 Update
    • Additional database templates (Automotive, Genomics, Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals)
    • SynapseML improvements
    • Data flow connector for Dynamics

Fundamentals

Associate

The following documents are intended to be consumed in order, as they begin with a reference architecture through solution building:

Pluralsight Courses:

Expert

WhatTheHack events are often in-person in a hands on format. However, it can be worked on individually and self-paced:

Microsoft OpenHack events are immersive, multi-day hands on experiences; specifically, the Modern Data Warehouse dives into Azure Synapse, Databricks, Azure Data Factory, and Azure Data Lake.

Specialist

  • Open Hack Registration Site
    • Register for a Modern Data Warehouse OpenHack. OpenHacks are a challenge-based lab format; the Modern Data Warehousing OpenHack provides a lab environment with preconfigured resources.
  • Analytics in a Day
    • Self-guided labs for Analytics in Day workshop.

Certifications

Exams such as the 70-767 Implementing a Data Warehouse is no longer available and was retired on January 31, 2021. We recommend the new role-based certifications, as these better align to industry trends and the mix of technical skills needed to successfully design and implement Data & AI solutions.

The first two role-based exams, DP-200 and DP-201 have also been retired and replaced with DP-203 Data Engineering on Microsoft Azure. DP-203 consolidates all of the goals of DP-200 and DP-201, and includes the latest features in Azure Synapse.

Passing DP-203 is required for the Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate certification.

Community