Mirroring Azure Databricks catalogs from Azure Databricks workspaces behind private endpoints (Generally Available)
Enterprises increasingly deploy Azure Databricks workspaces in locked-down network environments where public network access is disabled, and all access is routed through private endpoints. While this security posture is essential for meeting enterprise and regulatory requirements, it has historically limited integration scenarios for the Mirrored Azure Databricks catalog item in Microsoft Fabric. Earlier, the Mirrored Azure Databricks Catalog item required Azure Databricks workspaces to be reachable through public network paths, which made it incompatible with private only deployments.
Microsoft Fabric now supports mirroring Azure Databricks catalogs from Azure Databricks workspaces that are behind private endpoints, enabling a more seamless, combined experience for customers using both Azure Databricks and Fabric for data analytics use cases. This capability is now generally available, and it uses the Virtual Network (VNet) data gateway to establish secure private connectivity. Customers can mirror governed Unity Catalog metadata and data into Fabric from Azure Databricks workspaces that are accessible only through private endpoints.
Why this matters
Numerous customers are standardizing on Azure Databricks and Microsoft Fabric together for their end‑to‑end analytics platforms, often running Azure Databricks in highly regulated virtual network environments with private endpoints and no public network access. Until now, customers with Azure Databricks workspaces secured behind private endpoints were unable to use the Mirrored Azure Databricks catalog item.
With this release, customers can maintain strong network isolation for Azure Databricks while still delivering a unified analytics experience in Fabric, so they no longer need to choose between security and integration when using the two platforms side by side. Microsoft Fabric now seamlessly integrates with Azure Databricks environments that have public network access disabled.
Key benefits
- Secure connectivity for private Azure Databricks workspaces
Mirrored Azure Databricks Catalog items can connect to Azure Databricks workspaces that are accessible only through private endpoints, including workspaces with public network access disabled. - Enterprise grade compliance and data protection
All communication between Microsoft Fabric and Azure Databricks occurs through private IP space on the Azure backbone. Sensitive metadata and data remain isolated from the public internet. - Simplified networking for IT and data teams
The solution relies on standard Azure building blocks such as private endpoints, managed identities, and Virtual Network data gateways. This avoids the need for custom networking or proxy solutions. - Consistent experience across Fabric
This capability aligns the Mirrored Azure Databricks Catalog item with other Fabric connectivity models, delivering consistent governance and analytics experience across Fabric workloads.
How it works
Microsoft Fabric uses the Virtual Network data gateway to establish secure private connectivity to Azure Databricks workspaces behind private endpoints. The gateway is deployed into a customer managed virtual network and routes requests from Fabric to Azure Databricks through a private endpoint. All communication remains on the Azure backbone and does not traverse public networks.
This approach preserves the managed Software as a Service experience of Fabric while aligning with enterprise network security requirements.
Try it today
If your organization is already using Azure Databricks workspaces secured behind private endpoints, you can start using this capability today. To get started, refer to mirroring Azure Databricks catalogs in Microsoft Fabric from workspaces accessible only through private endpoints.
Learn more
For an overview of mirroring Azure Databricks catalogs in Fabric, see Mirroring Azure Databricks Unity Catalog.
For details on private connectivity in Azure Databricks, see Configure private connectivity to Azure Databricks.
For more information on how private connectivity is established from Fabric, see Create virtual network data gateways.
