Monitor a Microsoft SQL database in the Database Hub (preview)

Database Hub in Microsoft Fabric helps you discover Microsoft SQL databases in Azure SQL Database, SQL database in Fabric, and SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc. Start with an Estate view, identify databases that need investigation, and continue in the Azure portal or Visual Studio Code for configuration, database-level work, or query diagnostics.

Tip

💡 Agent setup for Database Hub

Get started using Database Hub agent skills to understand and interact with the Database Hub in Fabric:

- Use [Database Hub skills](https://github.com/microsoft/microsoft-sql/tree/main/plugins/microsoft-sql-fdh).
- Review [Database Hub in Fabric documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/fabric/database/hub/)
  and use the [Microsoft Learn MCP server](https://learn.microsoft.com/api/mcp) for official docs.

Important

This feature is in preview.

Monitor a Microsoft SQL database in place

Your SQL databases remain in their existing subscriptions, resource groups, and regions, or even on-premises. Database Hub doesn't require moving data into Fabric.

Prerequisites

  • In the current preview, ask a Fabric administrator to opt your tenant into the Database Hub preview experience in the Fabric admin portal. In Tenant settings, enable Users can access the Database hub (preview).
  • Database Hub uses your existing Microsoft Entra ID and Azure RBAC permissions rather than a separate permission model, so the access you assign here follows standard Azure role-assignment steps.
    • For discovery and monitoring, your identity needs permission to read the relevant Azure resource metadata and Azure Monitor metrics.
    • For discovery and monitoring, your identity needs to be a member of the Reader role, or a role with greater permissions, on each subscription that contains the resources you want to monitor.
  • To view performance monitoring data for Microsoft SQL resources in the Database Hub, you need to take additional steps to add an Azure resource provider.
  • To view Performance data for your Azure SQL Database, you need to take additional steps to add an extended property to each user database.
    • In the current preview, the Performance tab supports Azure SQL Database (all service tiers) and SQL Server instances enabled by Azure Arc.
      • The Performance tab doesn't currently support Azure SQL Managed Instance, SQL database in Fabric, or SQL Server instances in Azure VMs.
  • To appear in the Database Hub, SQL Server instances in Azure VMs must have the Windows SQL Server IaaS Agent extension installed.

View your Microsoft SQL estate

Start with an Estate view, identify databases that need investigation, and continue in the Azure portal or Visual Studio Code for server configuration, database-level work, or query diagnostics.

  1. Go to the Database Hub in Microsoft Fabric. In the Databases navigation, select Overview.
  2. The What needs attention? section points out parts of your database estate that need attention. Every card and link in What needs attention? leads to Estate. In the Estate view, beneath each resource, Issues appear in colorful chips while Suggestions appear in chips with a lightbulb icon.
  3. Filter the inventory to View: Microsoft SQL. Select the relevant subscriptions or resource groups by using the available filters.
  4. Search for the SQL database you need, or review the filtered inventory. Select the database to review its resource details.

Understand Microsoft SQL database estate monitoring

Use Overview for Microsoft SQL CPU, memory, storage, and IO summaries. Use Performance for the Microsoft SQL dashboard and a more detailed view of the selected servers, including CPU, memory, storage, IO, and workload pressure. Inventory scope and the dashboard's selected resource set can differ. Check the resource selection before treating a chart as the whole estate.

Create a custom SQL monitor

Create a custom performance monitoring dashboard from a template. The result is a Fabric Real-Time Dashboard where you can control charts and layout and share the dashboard with others in your Fabric tenant. Database Hub respects your existing access boundaries. Sharing a view or sending someone a resource link doesn't grant them access to the underlying server.

  1. On the Performance page, select Create SQL monitors from template.
  2. Choose the template that contains the metrics you want, and then select Next.
  3. Select the databases to monitor, and then select Next.
  4. Select a destination workspace.
  5. Create a new dashboard or add a page to an existing dashboard.
  6. Customize the charts, layout, time range, and sharing settings in the Real-Time Dashboard experience.

Query performance data directly in Azure Data Explorer (ADX)

For tabular analysis beyond the built-in dashboards, use the web version of Azure Data Explorer (ADX) to query the performance monitoring data exposed by the SQL ADX proxy.

Note

In the current preview, the connection URI and schema can vary by preview environment and region. Use the endpoint provided by your Database Hub experience. The Azure Data Explorer desktop client isn't supported for this preview scenario.

  1. Go to the Azure Data Explorer web UI.

  2. In the Connections pane, select Add, and then select Connection.

  3. Enter the SQL ADX proxy connection URI for your environment.

    • The connection URI is https://adx.centralus.arcdataservices.com/kusto/
    • The connection URI is the same, regardless of the region or environment your SQL resource is located.

  4. Enter an optional display name, and then select Add.

  5. If prompted, add the URI as a trusted source.

  6. Expand the connection and select the ArcSqlTelemetry database.

  7. Explore the available tables and run KQL queries against the scoped telemetry.

Sample KQL queries in Azure Data Explorer (ADX)

List 10 monitored databases and their host machine names:

SqlServerDatabaseProperties 
| summarize by MachineName, DatabaseName 
| take 10

List the 10 most recent CPU utilization samples:

SqlServerCPUUtilization 
| order by SampleTimeUTC desc 
| take 10

Review an available Microsoft SQL security finding

Use the following steps when the Database Hub displays a security finding that explicitly applies to a SQL database. If the relevant assessment isn't available, review that control directly in the Azure portal by using the SQL database documentation guidance.

  1. Select the SQL database finding from the Security summary or the affected server in Estate, where available.
  2. Confirm the affected server, assessment name, evaluated setting, and any available observation time. Check the recommendation against your organization's policy.
  3. Open the server in the Azure portal and verify its current configuration. For authentication, encryption, or auditing, follow the corresponding SQL database service documentation.
  4. Assess application impact and obtain the required approval before making a change. Enabling an authentication method or changing a security configuration can require additional service-specific steps.
  5. After the authorized change completes, verify the setting in the Azure portal. Allow for reassessment and refresh Database Hub; if the finding persists, compare its evidence with the current server configuration.

Currently, Database Hub evaluates the following Microsoft SQL platform security assessments:

  • Microsoft Entra Authentication Enabled (issue)
    • Applicable to Azure SQL Database, SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc, Azure SQL Managed Instance
  • Minimum TLS version 1.2 Required (issue)
    • Applicable to Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance
  • Public Network Access Disabled (issue)
    • Applicable to Azure SQL Database, SQL Server on Azure VM, Azure SQL Managed Instance
  • Private Endpoint Enabled (issue)
    • Applicable to Azure SQL Database
  • Auditing (suggestion)
    • Applicable to Azure SQL Database
  • Encryption at rest using Customer Managed Keys (CMK) (suggestion)
    • Applicable to Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance
  • Microsoft Entra Authentication Enforced (suggestion)
    • Applicable to Azure SQL Database, SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc, Azure SQL Managed Instance
  • SQL Ledger (suggestion)
    • Applicable to Azure SQL Database

Troubleshoot

Issue What to check
Expected databases are missing Confirm subscription access, your Azure RBAC, supported resource type, and resource provider registration. Verify that you have registered an Azure resource provider in each subscription.
Performance data is missing Confirm Reader access, Microsoft.AzureArcData registration, resource-specific prerequisites, and the user-database extended property.
A warning doesn't clear Confirm the native change completed successfully, allow time for signal refresh, and refresh Database Hub.
Open in SSMS opens without full context Copy the issue summary and evidence into SSMS manually and continue with the authorized diagnostic workflow.
Recommendation conflicts with evidence Don't apply the change. Recheck the scoped resource, time range, captured evidence, and approval path.

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