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Unlocking T-SQL Surface Area in Microsoft Fabric: Where It Works, Where It Doesn’t and Why

#fabcon2026 #session #learning #microsoft #fabcon2026-session

Description

Microsoft Fabric relational engines support T-SQL, but not always the same way. Why? This session explains SQL surface area, explores Fabric's engines (warehouses, databases, endpoints, etc.), and shows where T-SQL works - Helping you design smarter with supported features and architecture in mind.

Key Takeaways

My Notes

Action Items

Slides

UNLOCKING T-SQL
SURFACE AREA IN
MICROSOFT FABRIC
Jared Kuehn (DataBard)
Sound off.
The mic is all yours.
Influence the product roadmap.
Join the Fabric User Panel
Join the SQL User Panel
Share your feedback directly with our
Fabric product group and researchers.
Influence our SQL roadmap and ensure
it meets your real-life needs
https://aka.ms/JoinFabricUserPanel
https://aka.ms/JoinSQLUserPanel
About Me: Jared Kuehn
I am Data Guy
• Sr. Solutions Architect at SHI
• 10+ years of Data Industry stuff
• Non-cloud Certs: MCSE, PSM 1
I am Storyteller
• Weird Al is my hero
• Played Ophelia in Hamlet
• Hat Collector
Today’s Performance
Define Surface Area
SQL Architecture
•Fabric SQL
•Warehouses
•SQL Analytics Endpoint
Keyword differences
Why It Matters
Q&A
What is Surface Area?
Math!
“The full capability of what
you can do within a given
solution” (i.e. SQL language)
• But SQL is SQL, right?
Sven the Skeptic
“Did you just trick everyone into
coming to a Math session?!?!
A History
1974 - SEQUEL (Structured English Query Language)
• Chamberlain and Boyce applied
Codd’s relational model
• Copyright issues
• Solution? Acronym’d to SQL
“We follow the ANSI Standard” – How?
1986 – ANSI adopted Standard
• ANSI X3.135-1986
1987 – ISO adopted same Standard
• ISO 9075-1987
Now known as ISO/IEC 9075
Who defines the standard?
•
Most recent revision in 2023 (9th edition)
• Graph-querying
• JSON improvements
• GREATEST, LEAST
• Committees include database vendors
“Now History?!
DataBard, You can’t be
pulling stunts at FabCon!”
Everyone’s Standard, Right?
Every vendor can be
different
• …for each
product
In Microsoft Fabric,
not every SQL part
supports SQL in the
same way
~Data Professionals of the Caribbean, probably
Fabric SQL Flavors
Fabric SQL
Fabric Warehouse
SQL Analytics Endpoint
Fabric SQL DB
• Works just like Azure SQL DB, right?
• …right?
Fabric SQL DB
Spot the Difference
Azure SQL DB
Mirrored Copy
Fabric SQL Architecture Gotchas
Demo!!!!!
Fabric SQL Takeaways
• Don’t fall for the Magic Trick!
• Know storage format
• Remember Mirroring
Or Else
BAD
THINGS
HAPPEN
Fabric Warehouse
NOT SQL Server
NOT Spark
NOT Synapse engine
Surface Area is different because:
• Massive Parallel Processing (i.e. PDW)
• Based off of Delta in Fabric
Fabric Warehouse Architecture Gotchas
DEMO!!!!
Fabric Warehouse Takeaways
Delta Storage
What you don’t get
• Indexing
• Partitioning
• CLR
• JSON (Subqueries)
• Synonym
• Distribution
• SQL Agent
Or Else
BAD
THINGS
HAPPEN
Fabric SQL Analytics Endpoint
Auto-generated on many Fabric Items
All SQL Endpoints identical
Looks like SQL
• Create views, stored procs
• Security capabilities
• Read only
Big point: Not source controllable
Fabric SQL Analytics Endpoint
Demo!!!!!
SQL Analytics Endpoint Takeaways
• Read only
• Have a Plan for
Deployments
Or Else
BAD
THINGS
HAPPEN
Continue your Journey
Remember T-SQL Surface Area when
planning your architecture.

  1. Fabric SQL DB – “Normal” SQL
  2. Beware the mirror
  3. Fabric Warehouse different because
  4. Massive Parallel Processing
  5. Delta
  6. SQL Analytics Endpoint
  7. Read only
  8. Deployment strategy
    Additional details on surface area:
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fabric/datawarehouse/tsql-surface-area
    See? No Math!
    How was
    the session?
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    PRIZES!
    Let’s Journey
    Together!
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    BlueSky - @DataBard