dataMinds News Round up –
November 2024

Author: Jason Himmelstein

In this detailed update from Jason Himmelstein, explore the latest innovations and enhancements within Microsoft Fabric for October 2024.

Welcome to the October 2024 Update! This month brings several exciting new features to Microsoft Fabric. First, we’re thrilled to announce GraphQL API support for Service Principal Names (SPNs), making secure, programmatic access to data easier than ever. Lakehouses now offer enhanced capabilities with sorting, filtering, and searching, empowering users to interact with data in powerful new ways. Additionally, a new feature in KQL Queryset promises to revolutionize data interaction, bringing advanced query capabilities right to your fingertips.

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Author: Sandeep Pawar

In his latest article, Sandeep Pawar delves into optimizing delta tables for Microsoft Fabric, sharing a robust 250+ line code solution for analyzing lakehouse and warehouse performance. Direct Lake and delta lake read/write speeds depend heavily on delta table structure—factors like rowgroup distribution, file sizes, and maintenance frequency are crucial. This code scans delta tables for insights, including file counts, operation history, and rowgroup metrics, helping users diagnose performance issues. With real-world application examples, Sandeep explains how these metrics can spotlight fragmentation issues and boost efficiency through targeted maintenance.

Author: James Serra

Curious about the benefits of migrating from Azure Synapse Analytics to Microsoft Fabric? In his latest article, James Serra outlines how Fabric’s unified environment, auto-optimization, and SaaS architecture streamline data management and cut costs. With highlights like Direct Lake for faster queries, built-in Copilot for smarter development, and seamless data sharing across workspaces, Fabric brings next-level efficiency. Dive in to see why Fabric is the go-to platform for modern data solutions.

Author: Meagan Longoria

Meagan Longoria shares valuable insights on achieving efficient and reliable data loading with control flow restartability in Azure Data Factory (ADF). Learn how Meagan’s metadata-driven approach ensures that failed data loads don’t require reloading all tables, making it easier to pick up exactly where you left off. With a focus on control tables, logging, and stored procedures, this approach helps track and restart failed processes seamlessly. Discover how to optimize your ADF pipelines for greater efficiency and reliability in this deep dive on metadata-based control flows.

Learning

Get ready for Microsoft Ignite 2024! It’s that time of the year again: developers, IT pros, and business leaders are warmly welcomed from November 19-22 in Chicago. Focused on the future of AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and digital modernization, Ignite promises hands-on experiences, keynotes, and opportunities to connect with industry leaders.

Join us in exploring Microsoft’s latest innovations and uncovering transformative solutions for tomorrow’s business challenges. Allthough the event is sold out, you can still sign up as a digital attendee.

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Get certified in Microsoft Fabric—for free! Fast-track your career by becoming a Microsoft Certified: Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate. The Microsoft Fabric Community team is offering 5,000 free DP-600 exam vouchers to eligible community members. Complete your exam by the end of the year and join the ranks of certified Fabric experts. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity!

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Introducing a new certification for data engineers! We’re excited to announce the Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate certification, designed to showcase your expertise in data ingestion, transformation, administration, monitoring, and performance optimization within Fabric. To earn this certification, pass Exam DP-700: Implementing Data Engineering Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric, now in beta.

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Microsoft Fabric and AI Learning Hackathon Ready to unleash your creativity? Join the hackathon to explore how Microsoft Fabric drives innovation, and compete for exciting prizes! Don’t forget to check out our livestreamed events for expert insights and answers to all your questions.