This article answers frequently asked questions about Mirroring Azure SQL Managed Instance in Microsoft Fabric.
Features and capabilities
Is there a staging or landing zone for Azure SQL Managed Instance? If so, is it outside of OneLake?
A landing zone in OneLake stores both the snapshot and change data, to improve performance when converting files into delta verti-parquet.
How long does the initial replication take?
It depends on the size of the data that is being brought in.
How long does it take to replicate inserts/updates/deletes?
Near real-time latency.
Do you support replicating of views, transient, or external tables?
No. Currently, only replicating regular tables are supported.
Does mirroring work without exposing my Azure SQL Managed Instance to the internet?
In the current preview, your SQL managed instance needs to have a public endpoint, be open for inbound access from Azure cloud, and it needs to be allowed to contact Azure storage to be able to export data. Private endpoints are currently not supported.
How do I manage connections?
In Fabric, select the Settings button, then select Manage connection and gateways. You can also delete existing connections from this page.
Can Power BI reports on mirrored data use direct lake mode?
Yes, since tables are all v-ordered delta tables.
Self-help for Mirroring Azure SQL Managed Instance in Microsoft Fabric
How do I know Fabric is replicating data on my Azure SQL Managed Instance?
If you're experiencing mirroring problems, perform the following database level checks using Dynamic Management Views (DMVs) and stored procedures to validate configuration.
- Execute the following query to check if the changes properly flow:
SELECT * FROM sys.dm_change_feed_log_scan_sessions
For troubleshooting steps, see Troubleshoot Fabric mirrored databases from Azure SQL Managed Instance. Contact support if more troubleshooting is required.
How to enable System assigned managed identity (SAMI) on Azure SQL Managed Instance?
With a single step in the Azure portal, you can [enable System Assigned Managed Identity (SAMI) of your Azure SQL Managed Instance](azure-sql-managed-instance-tutorial.md#Enable System Assigned Managed Identity (SAMI) of your Azure SQL Managed Instance).
What are the replication statuses?
Can Azure SQL Managed Instance database mirroring be accessed through the Power BI Gateway or VNET data gateway?
Currently, this is unsupported.
What happens if I remove a table from Mirroring?
The table is no longer replicated and its data is deleted from OneLake.
If I delete the mirrored database, does it affect the source Azure SQL Managed Instance?
No, we just remove the replicated tables from the OneLake.
Can I mirror the same source database multiple times?
No, each database in a SQL managed instance can only be mirrored to Fabric once. You just need a single copy of the data in Fabric OneLake, which you can share with others.
Can I mirror only specific tables from my Azure SQL Managed Instance?
Yes, specific tables can be selected during Mirroring configuration.
What happens to Mirroring in an event of planned or unplanned Geo failover?
Mirroring stops working in an event of geo failover, whether planned or unplanned, as there are potential data loss scenarios. If this occurs, disable mirroring completely, and then create a new mirror and configure it to point to the new Azure SQL Managed Instance.
Security
What authentication to the Azure SQL Managed Instance is allowed?
Currently, for authentication to the source Azure SQL Managed Instance, we support SQL authentication with user name and password and Microsoft Entra ID. Your SQL managed instance should have read rights on your Microsoft Entra directory. For more information, see Configure and manage Microsoft Entra authentication with Azure SQL.
Is data ever leaving the customers Fabric tenant?
No.
Is data staged outside of a customer environment?
No. Data isn't staged outside of customer environment, it's staged in the customer's OneLake.
Cost Management
What are the costs associated with Mirroring?
There's no compute cost for mirroring data from the source to Fabric OneLake. The Mirroring storage cost is free up to a certain limit based on the purchased compute capacity SKU you provision. Learn more from the Mirroring section in Microsoft Fabric Pricing. The compute on SQL, Power BI, or Spark to consume the mirrored data will be charged based on the Capacity.
How are ingress fees handled?
Fabric doesn't charge for ingress fees into OneLake for Mirroring.
How are egress fees handled?
If the Azure SQL Managed Instance is located in a different region from your Fabric capacity, data egress is charged. If in the same region, there is no data egress.
Licensing
What are licensing options for Fabric Mirroring?
A Power BI Premium, Fabric Capacity, or Trial Capacity is required. For more information on licensing, see Microsoft Fabric licenses.
Stop or pause Fabric Mirroring
What are the results of stopping Mirroring?
Replication stops in the source database, but a copy of the tables is kept in OneLake. Restarting the mirroring results in all data being replicated from the start.
What steps does restarting the Mirroring include?
The data from source tables will be reinitialized. Each time you stop and start, the entire table is fetched again.
How to stop/disable Mirroring from your Azure SQL Managed Instance?
If you are unable to stop mirroring your SQL managed instance from the Fabric portal, or unable to delete your mirrored database from the Fabric portal, you can execute the following stored procedure on your SQL managed instance: exec sp_change_feed_disable_db;.
What if I stop or pause my Fabric capacity?
The Fabric capacity needs to be active and running. A paused or deleted capacity will impact Mirroring and no data will be replicated.