"Microsoft SQL: Cannot open server "gmail.com" requested by the login. The login failed.",PowerBI-Azure Synapse analytics

Question

I originally setup all my resources in my personal email, @gmail.com . Then I realized I cannot connect my Azure Synapse to Power BI with it. Thus I gave full ownership to my .edu account, in both storageaccount,azure synapse. I then created my Synapse Analytics from my .edu account. I can see its perfectly running and bring data from my Gold layer.

Issue arises still, when i am trying to connect my Azure Synapse to my Power Bi both using my .edu account. it still says my server has @gmail which is my personal account. How should I fix this ?

Thank you in advance.

With Friendly Regards,
Sai

Answer 1

hi Saiyudh Mannan,

the error is a dead giveaway that somewhere, deep in the metadata, your synapse workspace is still linked to that original gmail identity. just changing ownership is not always enough. the sql server behind synapse can retain that old connection info.

you need to check the active directory admin setting for your synapse sql server. this is a separate step from just resource ownership. go to your synapse workspace in the portal. under the 'settings' section, find 'active directory admin'. make absolutely sure your .edu account is set as the admin here. this controls who can connect to the sql endpoint.

next, dive into the sql server itself. your synapse workspace has a dedicated sql server name that ends in 'sql.azuresynapse.net'. find that server in the azure portal. go to its 'active directory admin' blade and again, verify your .edu account is the admin. this is often the missing piece. the docs for this are here https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-sql/database/authentication-aad-configure

also, check this. from power bi desktop, try clearing any cached credentials. sometimes power bi hangs on to old logins. go to 'file' -> 'options and settings' -> 'data source settings'. find the synapse connection and click 'clear permissions'. then close and reopen power bi before trying to connect again. this might help in other tools too.

now for a general tip. when you connect from power bi, use the 'microsoft account' authentication option, not the active directory one. it sounds counter intuitive, but it often works better for this specific scenario with educational accounts.

aha, and one more thing. if all else fails, you can try creating a new dedicated sql user inside the synapse database itself using your .edu account. then connect to power bi using that sql username and password instead of active directory. it is a workaround, but it gets the job done.

good luck. this permissions maze can be tricky, but you will conquer it. let me know if setting the sql server admin does the trick.

Best regards,

Alex

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Answer 2

Hello Saiyudh Mannan , thank you for asking your question on the Microsoft Q&A portal.

You're trying to connect Power BI to Azure Synapse Analytics using your .edu account, but you're getting an error saying “Cannot open server ‘gmail.com’ requested by the login” indicating Power BI is still trying to authenticate using your old personal @gmail.com identity, even though you’ve granted ownership to your .edu account and recreated Synapse under it.

Seems like Power BI is caching or defaulting to your old @gmail.com identity for the Synapse connection which means you need to explicitly sign in with your .edu account and ensure no old credentials are stored.

What could be the Root Cause:

Power BI Desktop or Service may still be:

• Using cached credentials from your @gmail.com account.
• Defaulting to the wrong Azure AD tenant if you’re signed in with multiple accounts.
• Trying to connect to a Synapse SQL endpoint that still has firewall rules or permissions tied to the old account.

Try the following Steps to Fix:

1. Sign Out and Sign Back in to Power BI with Your .edu Account In Power BI Desktop: Go to File > Options and settings > Data source settings. → Select any existing Synapse connection → Click Clear Permissions. → Close and reopen Power BI. → When reconnecting, ensure you’re prompted to sign in and choose your .edu account. In Power BI Service (app.powerbi.com): → Click your profile icon → Sign out. → Sign back in using only your .edu account. → Clear browser cache or use InPrivate/Incognito mode if needed.
2. Verify You’re in the Correct Azure Entra ID Tenant
   • Go to https://portal.azure.com → check the directory switcher (top-right) → ensure you’re in the tenant associated with your .edu account.
     • Synapse and Power BI must be in the same tenant for seamless authentication.
3. Check Synapse SQL Server-Level Permissions

• In Azure Portal → Go to your Synapse workspace → SQL pool → Set admin under “Active Directory admin”. → Ensure your .edu account is set as the Azure AD admin for the Synapse SQL server.
  • Also, in Synapse Studio → Manage > Access Control → confirm your .edu account has at least Synapse Contributor or SQL Admin role.

1. Update Firewall Rules (if applicable)
   • In Synapse SQL Server → Networking → ensure “Allow Azure services and resources to access this server” is Enabled.
   • If using private endpoints, ensure your Power BI tenant can route to them.
2. Recreate the Dataset Connection in Power BI

• Delete the existing dataset/connection in Power BI (Desktop or Service).
• Create a fresh connection → when prompted, sign in with your .edu account.
  • Use the correct server name: it should be [your-synapse-workspace].sql.azuresynapse.net, not anything related to gmail.com.

The error message mentioning “gmail.com” does not mean your server is named “gmail.com” — it means the login attempt is being made with a user identity from the gmail.com tenant, which lacks permissions on the Synapse server. Azure SQL (including Synapse SQL) returns this misleading error when the user exists but has no server-level access.

If you continue facing issues after trying the above steps, here are a few follow-up questions that would help clarify things further:

• Are you using both accounts (Gmail and .edu) within the same Power BI instance, or have you removed any references to the Gmail account entirely?
• Are you receiving any specific error messages when attempting to connect with your .edu account besides the server name issue?
• Can you confirm if there are any existing firewall rules that may be blocking your new account's access to the Azure Synapse server?
• When you try to connect in Power BI, are you being prompted to choose an account, or is it auto-logging you in with @gmail.com?

Useful links:

Connect Power BI to Azure Synapse Analytics

Set Azure AD admin for Azure Synapse SQL

Please "Accept as Answer" if the answer provided is useful, so that you can help others in the community looking for remediation for similar issues.

Thanks

Pratyush