Deploy ASP.NET Core Web API with Simba Spark Driver for Databricks to Azure App Serivce

Question

Hi all,

I have a .NET Core Web API which creates a connection to the SQL endpoint of Azure Databricks with the official Simba ODBC driver. Locally everything works fine. I can see my System DSN entry and I use this driver to create the connection and I can succesfully load data from Databricks via SQL ODBC endpoint.

Now I want to deploy my solution to our Azure App Service (windows / .NET 5 / 64 bit) but I get the following error:

I think the problem is the missing Simba Spark Driver in my Azure App Service?? Is there a way to install this custom driver as an extension? Or is there any other option without using a VM??

Thanks,
Thomas

Answer 1

Hello @Thomas Ingenhorst

Unfortunately you can't install Databricks Simba Spark Driver in my Azure App Service driver when using App Service Windows.

One possibility is to use Windows or Linux Containers on Azure App Service in which you have control over what drivers or custom software to install.
Please check the quick start to run a Windows or Linux Container in App Service:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/app-service-web-get-started-windows-container
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/configure-custom-container?pivots=container-linux

Example of Linux App Service Container Dockerfile:

# Install Databricks ODBC driver.  
RUN apt update && apt install -y unixodbc unixodbc-dev freetds-dev sqsh tdsodbc unzip libsasl2-modules-gssapi-mit  
RUN curl -sL https://databricks.com/wp-content/uploads/drivers-2020/SimbaSparkODBC-2.6.16.1019-Debian-64bit.zip -o databricksOdbc.zip && unzip databricksOdbc.zip  
RUN dpkg -i SimbaSparkODBC-2.6.16.1019-Debian-64bit/simbaspark_2.6.16.1019-2_amd64.deb  
RUN export ODBCINI=/etc/odbc.ini ODBCSYSINI=/etc/odbcinst.ini SIMBASPARKINI=/opt/simba/spark/lib/64/simba.sparkodbc.ini  

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/64314613/install-hive-odbc-driver-on-azure-function-app-in-app-service-plan
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/37441052/odbc-or-oledb-database-drivers-under-azure-app-service