Tag: technews

  • CES 2025: BMW’s vision-spanning Panoramic iDrive will make sure you never miss another navigation prompt

    Tim Stevens

    At a surprisingly star-studded event this morning, BMW showed off the final form of its long-awaited and long-teased Panoramic iDrive system. It’s a combination of an oddly angular touchscreen, a windshield-spanning heads-up display, and an LLM-powered AI assistant. The big news? It’s coming to every future BMW.

    Comedians Tim Meadows and Ken Jeong welcomed the assembled crowd into a studio designed to look like an oversized interior of the company’s upcoming Neue Klasse. They did their best to goad BMW’s Bavarian executives into a series of jokes and bits that mostly fell as flat as the central touchscreen that now dominates the iDrive experience.

    Thankfully, it’s not comedy that brought us to Las Vegas this week, and the good news for BMW is that the interface looks good. The software behind the scenes is called BMW Operating System X, and it powers a new iDrive that combines screens and voice commands to create a familiar but far more comprehensive interface than anything we’ve seen in a BMW before.

    It all starts with that central touchscreen, but even that is different. Rather than being square or curved like in other BMWs, the new panel is rhomboid-shaped, a slanted polygon whose leaning posture doesn’t seem to really augment the experience but does at least look distinctive.

    The panel is also tilted slightly towards the driver and is running software that is at least familiar to anyone who’s used the current iDrive interface. A static bar along the bottom provides quick access to the most important things, like controls for the heating system. Above that, a stylized, 3D view of the world makes sure you’re always situated.

    Things get more interesting when you move up the dashboard. Running along the base of the windshield is what BMW calls Panoramic Vision. It spans the width of the car, with the left-most portion handling typical gauge cluster duties like displaying current speed, active safety controls, and even warnings.

    BMW Neue Klasse
    Tim Stevens for Engadget

    The rest of the Panoramic Vision display is customizable, with six widgets that you can drag up from the central touchscreen covering things like outside temperature, navigation ETA, and even another widget showing you turn-by-turn information. It’s much that we’ve seen in demos from BMW before, but now nearly ready for prime-time with the cars shipping at the end of this year.

    Given the Panoramic Vision’s importance in the overall in-car experience, I asked the guy who oversaw the development of all this, BMW’s SVP of connected company technical operations Stephan Durach, whether there were any visibility issues in the bright sunlight.

    “This technology is a little bit different than a traditional heads-up display… we’re using black print on the bottom. In bright sunlight, it’s even performing a little bit better,” he said. “You’ll not have any issues at all.”

    If that’s not enough displays for you, there’s another HUD situated on the left, up above the Panoramic Vision, which gives 3D navigation information for the driver. Yes, between the touchscreen, the Panoramic Vision display, and the HUD, you can get three separate feeds of turn-by-turn directions.

    In other words, if you miss a turn in this thing, you have nobody to blame but yourself.

    BMW Panoramic iDrive
    BMW

    BMW also quickly demonstrated a new in-car LLM that, for now at least, is only for navigation. It was all pre-recorded, so it’s anyone’s guess how well this will work in reality, but in the demo, at least, it quickly found “the best beach” and navigated there. When our pretend driver left the city, the car even asked whether to automatically engage Sport Mode, which was a nice touch.

    BMW’s Durach confirmed that Android Auto and Apple CarPlay will still be supported. He also teased that there are some more fun tricks to come that will get passengers more involved in the experience.

    BMW ended the presentation by confirming that Panoramic iDrive will not only be coming to the Neue Klasse when it finally hits the market at the end of this year but will be the standard interface for all new BMWs that launch after that. That means the days of the rotary iDrive controller are now officially numbered.

    I asked Durach if he had any parting words for this once-revolutionary vehicular interface.

    “We take a look at all of our data and usage… you can really see that the usage of our rotary controller is declining dramatically,” he said. “People don’t even touch it.”

    It’s a harsh send-off, but these days you just can’t cry over progress.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/ces-2025-bmws-vision-spanning-panoramic-idrive-will-make-sure-you-never-miss-another-navigation-prompt-192022046.html?src=rss

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    CES 2025: BMW’s vision-spanning Panoramic iDrive will make sure you never miss another navigation prompt

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    CES 2025: BMW’s vision-spanning Panoramic iDrive will make sure you never miss another navigation prompt

  • Honda’s Saloon and Space-Hub EV concepts are now prototypes

    Mariella Moon

    The futuristic looking concept electric vehicles that Honda had introduced at last year’s CES are now much closer to becoming models you can actually buy. Honda has unveiled prototype versions of the 0 Series Saloon sedan and the 0 Series SUV at CES 2025. It also revealed that it will launch their production models next year in North America followed by Japan and Europe. The Honda 0 SUV will be introduced in the first half of 2026 and will be the first model in the lineup to enter production. It’s a mid-size SUV that was originally presented as the Space-Hub concept and will be based company’s newly developed dedicated EV architecture. 

    Meanwhile, the production version of the flagship Honda 0 Saloon EV, characterized by its low height and wedge-shaped design, will be launched late next year. Both models will be capable of Level 3 automated driving, which means they can steer, brake and accelerate by themselves, though the driver will have to be ready to take over anytime needed. They will also be equipped with ASIMO OS, the new operating system Honda developed for its next-gen EVs. It is, of course, named after the Asimo humanoid robot the company introduced at CES over two decades ago and will power both its automated driving and infotainment systems. 

    The Honda 0 Series vehicles will come with a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, so they’ll be able to access Tesla’s charging stations. Honda is working on building a charging network with other automakers, as well, under a joint venture called IONNA. The initiative, which aims to build a nationwide network of over 30,000 charging stations by 2030, was founded by Honda, BMW, GM, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis and Toyota. 

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/hondas-saloon-and-space-hub-ev-concepts-are-now-prototypes-190047136.html?src=rss

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    Honda’s Saloon and Space-Hub EV concepts are now prototypes

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    Honda’s Saloon and Space-Hub EV concepts are now prototypes

  • NVIDIA’s Reflex 2 predicts milliseconds into the future of competitive games

    Lawrence Bonk

    NVIDIA’s Reflex technology just got a massive upgrade, as announced at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. The company’s Reflex 2 kicks things up several notches, thanks to some software wizardry. The end result? A promise to further reduce gaming latency by up to 75 percent. In this case, latency refers to how quickly a game displays the reaction from a player’s inputs.

    Here’s how it works, and it’s pretty wild. Reflex 2 combines the pre-existing Low Latency mode with something called Frame Warp. This tech tasks the CPU to calculate the position of the next frame as the current frame is being rendered by the GPU. The CPU uses player input, typically via mouse, to calculate the upcoming camera position.

    The tools then sample the upcoming camera position and graft it onto the current frame, waiting until the “very last moment to ensure the latest input is shown on screen.” This glimpse into the near future should “allow players to improve their aim and tracking of enemies.”

    But how can a pre-rendered image exist on top of the current frame without creating all kinds of visual inaccuracies? NVIDIA developed a “latency-optimized predictive rendering algorithm” that uses data from prior frames to fill in any obvious gaps, so players will see a new frame with the updated camera position without any weird holes. It is, quite literally, warping the frame (thus the name.)

    The company showcased this technology with Embark Studio’s The Finals, which will be one of the first games to support the toolset. The proof is in the pudding. With the game running on an RTX 5070 GPU at 4K with max settings, the latency was 56ms. The first iteration of Reflex reduced the latency to 27ms, while Reflex 2 dropped it all the way down to 14ms.

    In addition to The Finals, NVIDIA says that Valorant will soon support the tech. The company notes that it has used Reflex 2 with Frame Warp to reduce the latency to an average of under 3ms. Reflex 2 will debut as part of the forthcoming GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs, with support for other RTX GPUs coming sometime in the future.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/nvidias-reflex-2-predicts-milliseconds-into-the-future-of-competitive-games-182213650.html?src=rss

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    NVIDIA’s Reflex 2 predicts milliseconds into the future of competitive games

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    NVIDIA’s Reflex 2 predicts milliseconds into the future of competitive games

  • Honda CES 2025 keynote: Watch Honda reveal its 0 Series EV prototypes live here

    Kris Holt

    As always, one could confuse CES with a full-on auto show. Among the brands showcasing in Las Vegas this year are Volvo, Toyota, BMW, China’s Zeekr and, of course, the Afeela (Sony’s and Honda’s joint venture). Honda, meanwhile, has its own dedicated keynote coming up and you can watch it right here. The automaker is continuing to showcase its 0 Series EVs after debuting two concept models at CES 2024. Next up is a look at two prototypes ahead of Honda starting to ship these vehicles in 2026.

    Last year, we got a look at two Honda 0 Series concept vehicles — a sedan that the company called the Saloon and a minivan-style Space-Hub. Honda’s mantra for 0 Series development is “thin, light and wise,” and its CES 2025 keynote will focus on the latter.

    Honda says it will unveil the 0 Series operating system and automated driving tech, while spilling the beans about the SoC that will power the EVs. In addition, it will reveal details about an energy service that it will roll out alongside the 0 Series vehicles.

    The big draw of the keynote, however, will be the two prototype 0 Series EVs that Honda will show off. The company plans to start shipping those in 2026. A teaser image (above) indicates that it Honda has a sedan and a minivan or SUV ready to discuss.

    You can watch Honda’s CES 2025 press conference live below. The stream will start Tuesday, January 7 at 1:30PM ET.

    For a recap of the Honda event as well as other news coming out of Las Vegas this week, check out our main CES 2025 liveblog.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/honda-ces-2025-keynote-watch-honda-reveal-its-0-series-ev-prototypes-live-here-160037969.html?src=rss

    Go Here to Read this Fast! Honda CES 2025 keynote: Watch Honda reveal its 0 Series EV prototypes live here

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    Honda CES 2025 keynote: Watch Honda reveal its 0 Series EV prototypes live here

  • ASUS unveiled the Zenbook A14 at CES 2025 and it’s the MacBook Air competitor I’ve been dreaming of

    Devindra Hardawar

    I knew I had found my favorite computer of CES 2025 early last December, long before I had a chance to see what most other PC makers were cooking up. It comes from ASUS and it’s the new Zenbook A14, a system that the company had joked about calling the Zenbook Air.

    To be fair, the name would have been fitting: the notebook weighs less than 2.2 pounds (or 1kg), a half a pound lighter than Apple’s most svelte MacBook Air. In almost every respect, the ZenBook A14 outclasses Apple’s ultraportable, with specs like a 14-inch OLED screen and up to 32 hours of battery life. The only catch is that it runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X and X Elite chips, which limits compatibility with older Windows apps (along with some devices).

    What’s most remarkable about the Zenbook A14, though, is that it simply feels great to hold. The light weight is a big part of that, but its also covered in ASUS’s unique Ceraluminum material, which feels markedly different than a typical metal case. ASUS has deployed Ceraluminum across its premium lineup for years, but this is one of the first times we’ve seen it on practically every surface of a laptop (the top lid, keyboard desk and bottom).

    The Zenbook A14 also features plenty of thoughtful design elements. It’s easy to open up one-handed, thanks to a refined hinge that counter-acts the laptop’s tiny frame. It also has a surprising amount of ports, including one USB Type A connection, two USB C ports, HDMI 2.1 and a headphone jack. That’s all connectivity we’ll never see on a MacBook Air.

    In my short time with the Zenbook A14, its keyboard and trackpad also felt relatively comfortable. ASUS says the keys offer 1.3mm of travel, and while they could always be deeper, they seemed fine for casual typing. The laptop also sports a 1080p IR camera, speakers with Dolby Atmos support and Wi-Fi 7. Basically, it has everything we’d want in a premium laptop in 2025.

    The ASUS Zenbook A14 starts at $900 with a Snapdragon X Plus CPU and 16GB of RAM (in a slightly chunkier 2.4 pound case). The lightest 2.18 pound model is available for $1,100 with a Snapdragon X Elite chip and 32GB of RAM.

    ASUS Zenbook A14
    ASUS

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/asus-unveiled-the-zenbook-a14-at-ces-2025-and-its-the-macbook-air-competitor-ive-been-dreaming-of-173026277.html?src=rss

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    ASUS unveiled the Zenbook A14 at CES 2025 and it’s the MacBook Air competitor I’ve been dreaming of

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    ASUS unveiled the Zenbook A14 at CES 2025 and it’s the MacBook Air competitor I’ve been dreaming of

  • Lenovo’s new ThinkPad X9 is the least ThinkPad ever

    Sam Rutherford

    Lenovo came to CES 2025 to prove that there’s still room in its ThinkPad family for fresh designs. It may seem sacrilegious to ditch the carbon fiber frames and Trackpoint nubs found in classic ThinkPads, but that’s exactly what the new ThinkPad X9 line does.

    Lenovo may not admit it outright, but the goal with these new models is to entice younger buyers who might not have a ton of nostalgia for the company’s 30-year-old laptop line. That said, the X9 line (which will be available in both 14- and 15-inch variants) still delivers the same military-grade durability (MIL-SPEC 810H) you’d expect from a typical ThinkPad while boasting an even sleeker and more minimalist appearance.

    The lid of the X9 line is made from a smooth sheet of aluminum with the only defining characteristic (aside from the ThinkPad logo) being the long communication bar that houses the laptop’s microphones and cameras. On the inside, Lenovo’s streamlined aesthetic reveals the complete absence of a Trackpoint nub, a redesigned keyboard with new keycaps and an even larger haptic touchpad than what you’d get from the X9’s siblings.

    Lenovo Thinkpad X9 14 keyboard
    Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

    So even though I’m an elder millennial who has some fondness for old-school ThinkPads, I must admit that I find Lenovo’s break from tradition rather appealing. I never understood the Trackpoint nub, especially on modern notebooks with super responsive touchpads. Getting rid of it not only reduces distractions, but makes the keyboard easier to use. And even with its tweaked keycaps, there’s still plenty of travel to deliver a very comfortable typing experience.

    On its bottom, Lenovo is using what it calls an Engine Hub to deliver great connectivity for its size including a Thunderbolt 4 port on each side, a full HDMI 2.1 jack, 3.5mm audio and USB-A, while still providing plenty of room for thermal management. The X9 line’s D-cover (the bottom panel) can also be removed by loosening just four captured screws, which gives you easy access to the laptop’s user-replaceable SSD and battery. Unfortunately, because the system is powered by up to Intel Core Ultra 7 processors, RAM is soldered on so you can’t upgrade its memory on your own.

    Both the 14- and 15-inch versions of the X9 feature bright OLED displays with 2.8K resolutions and 400 nits of brightness (or 500 nits on the X9 15) and all models come with 80Whr batteries, Wi-Fi 7, 8-megapixel high-def webcams and dual noise-canceling microphones. I also appreciate a lot of the smaller design touches like the physical shutter for the webcam and what might be one of the smallest 65-watt power adapters I’ve seen from any major laptop manufacturer to date.

    Finally, Lenovo’s Aura Edition branding is there to remind you that the X9 line includes a handful of AI-powered tools including Smart Share, dynamic power modes, enhanced security and more. And in case anything ever goes wrong, you’ll also have access to 24/7 live support that’s meant to deliver more of a white-glove experience compared to less premium machines.

    The internals of the Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 and 15 can be accessed just by removing four screws. Unfortunately, while the SSD is upgradable, its RAM is soldered on.
    The internals of the Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 and 15 can be accessed just by removing four screws. Unfortunately, while the SSD is upgradable, its RAM is soldered on.
    Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

    All told, the new X9 line really does seem like a more modern approach to laptop design. Now, that doesn’t mean Lenovo needs to kill the classic ThinkPad (I still love those carbon fiber frames), but especially for younger customers, I feel like there’s plenty of room for both of these lines to live together happily.

    Both models are expected to go on sale in February, with the ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition starting at $1,399 or $1,549 for the 15-inch version.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/lenovos-new-thinkpad-x9-is-the-least-thinkpad-ever-160019926.html?src=rss

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    Lenovo’s new ThinkPad X9 is the least ThinkPad ever

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    Lenovo’s new ThinkPad X9 is the least ThinkPad ever

  • How to Securely Connect Microsoft Fabric to Azure Databricks SQL API

    How to Securely Connect Microsoft Fabric to Azure Databricks SQL API

    René Bremer

    Integration architecture focusing on security and access control

    Connecting Compute — image by Alexandre Debiève on Unsplash

    1. Introduction

    Microsoft Fabric and Azure Databricks are both powerhouses in the data analytics field. These platforms can be used end-to-end in a medallion architecture, from data ingestion to creating data products for end users. Azure Databricks excels in the initial stages due to its strength in processing large datasets and populating the different zones of the lakehouse. Microsoft Fabric performs well in the latter stages when data is consumed. Coming from Power BI, the SaaS setup is easy to use and it provides self-service capabilities to end users.

    Given the different strengths of these products and that many customers do not have a greenfield situation, a strategic decision can be to integrate the products. You must then find a logical integration point where both products “meet”. This shall be done with security in mind as this is a top priority for all enterprises.

    This blog post first explores three different integration options: Lakehouse split, virtualization with shortcuts, and exposing via SQL API. SQL API is a common integration point between back end and front end and the security architecture of this integration is discussed in more detail in chapter 3. See already the architecture diagram below.

    Securely Connect Microsoft Fabric to Azure Databricks SQL API — image by author

    2. Azure Databricks — Microsoft Fabric integration overview

    Before diving into the details of securing SQL API architecture, it is helpful to briefly discuss the different options for integrating Azure Databricks and Microsoft Fabric. This chapter outlines three options, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. For a more extensive overview, refer to this blog.

    2.1 Lakehouse split: Bronze, silver zone in Databricks | gold zone in Fabric

    In this architecture, you can find that data is processed by Databricks up to the silver zone. Fabric copies and processes the data to gold zone in Fabric using V-Ordering. Gold zone data is exposed via a Fabric lakehouse such that data products can be created for end users, see image below.

    2.1 Lakehouse split: Bronze, silver zone in Databricks | gold zone in Fabric — image by author

    The advantage of this architecture is that data is optimized for data consumption in Fabric. The disadvantage is that the lakehouse is split over two tools which adds complexity and can give challenges in data governance (Unity Catalog for bronze/silver, but not for gold).

    This architecture is most applicable to companies that place a strong emphasis on data analytics in Microsoft Fabric and may even want to eventually migrate the entire lakehouse to Microsoft Fabric.

    2.2 Virtualization: Lakehouse in Databricks | shortcuts to Fabric

    In this architecture, all data is in the lakehouse is processed by Databricks. Data is virtualized to Microsoft Fabric Lakehouse using ADLSgen2 shortcuts or even a mirrored Azure Databricks Unity Catalog in Fabric, see also the image below.

    2.2 Virtualization: Lakehouse in Databricks | shortcuts to Fabric — image by author

    The advantage of this architecture is that lakehouse is owned by a single tool which gives less challenges in integration and governance. The disadvantage is that data is not optimized for Fabric consumption. In this, you may require additional copies in Fabric to apply V-Ordering, and so optimize for Fabric consumption.

    This architecture is most applicable for companies that want to keep the lakehouse Databricks owned and want to enable end users to do analytics in Fabric in which the lack of V-Ordering is not much of a concern. The latter could be true if the data sizes are not too big and/or end users need a data copy anyway.

    2.3 Exposing SQL API: Lakehouse in Databricks | SQL API to Fabric

    In this architecture, all data is in the lakehouse is processed by Databricks again. However, in this architecture the data is exposed to Fabric using the SQL API. In this, you can decide to use a dedicated Databricks SQL Warehouse or serverless SQL. The main difference with shortcut architecture in the previous bullet, is that data is processed in Databricks rather than Fabric. This can be compared to when a web app fires a SQL query to a database; the query is executed in the database.

    2.3 Exposing SQL API: Lakehouse in Databricks | SQL API to Fabric — image by author

    The advantage of this architecture is that lakehouse is owned by a single tool which gives less challenges in integration and governance. Also, SQL API provides a clean interface between Azure Databricks and Microsoft Fabric with less coupling compared to shortcuts. The disadvantage is that end users in Fabric are limited to the Databricks SQL and Fabric is merely used as reporting tool rather than analytics tool.

    This architecture is most applicable for companies that want to keep the lakehouse Databricks-owned and are looking to enhance Azure Databricks with the Power BI capabilities that Microsoft Fabric offers.

    In the next chapter, a security architecture is discussed for this SQL API integration.

    3. Exposing SQL API: security architecture

    In this chapter, security architecture is discussed for this SQL API integration. The rationale is that integrating SQL API is a common touch point where back end and front end meet. Furthermore, most security recommendations are applicable for the other architectures discussed earlier.

    3.1 Advanced SQL API architecture

    To achieve defense in depth, networking isolation and identity-based access control are the two most important steps. You can find this in the diagram below, that was already provided in the introduction of this blog.

    3.1 Security connect Azure Databricks SQL to MSFT Fabric — image by author

    In this diagram, three key connectivities that need to be secured are highlighted: ADLSgen2 — Databricks connectivity, Azure Databricks — Microsoft Fabric connectivity and Microsoft Fabric — end user connectivity. In the remaining of this section, the connectivity between the resources is discussed focusing on networking and access control.

    In this, it is not in scope to discuss how ADLSgen2, Databricks or Microsoft Fabric can be secured as products themselves. The rationale is that all three resources are major Azure products and offer extensive documentation on how to achieve this. This blog really focuses on the integration points.

    3.2 ADLSgen2 — Azure Databricks connectivity

    Azure Databricks needs to fetch data from ADLSgen2 with Hierarchical Name Space (HNS) enabled. ADLSgen2 is used as storage since it provides the best disaster recovery capabilities. This includes point-in-time recovery integration with Azure Backup coming in 2025, which offers better protection against malware attacks and accidental deletions. You can find the following networking and access control practices applicable.

    Networking: Azure storage public access is disabled. To make sure that Databricks can access the storage account, private endpoints are created in the Databricks VNET. This makes sure that the storage account cannot be accessed from outside the company network and that data stays on the Azure backbone.

    Identity-based access control: The storage account can only be accessed via identities and access keys are disabled. To allow Databricks Unity Catalog access to the data, the Databricks access connector identity needs to be granted access using an external location. Depending on the data architecture, this can be an RBAC role to the entire container or a fine-grained ACL/POSIX access rule to the data folder.

    3.3 Azure Databricks — Microsoft Fabric connectivity:

    Microsoft Fabric needs to fetch data from Azure Databricks. This data shall be used by Fabric to serve end users. In this architecture, the SQL API is used. The networking and identity access control points are also most applicable for the shortcut architecture discussed in paragraph 2.2.

    Networking: Azure Databricks public access is disabled. This is both true for the front end as the back end such that clusters are deployed without a public IP address. To make sure that Microsoft Fabric can access data exposed via the SQL API from a network perspective, a data gateway needs to be deployed. It could be decided to deploy a virtual machine in the Databricks VNET, however, that is an IaaS component that needs to be maintained which gives security challenges on its own. A better option is to use a managed virtual network data gateway which is Microsoft managed and provides connectivity.

    Identity-based access control: Data in Azure Databricks will be exposed via Unity Catalog. Data in the Unity Catalog shall only be exposed via Identities using fine-grained access control tables and using row-level security. It is not yet possible to use Microsoft Fabric Workspace Identities to access the Databricks SQL API. Instead, a service principal shall be granted access to the data in the Unity Catalog and a personal access token based in this service principal shall be used in the Microsoft Databricks Connector.

    3.4 Microsoft Fabric — end user connectivity:

    In this architecture, end users will connect to Microsoft Fabric to access reports and to do self-service BI. Within Microsoft, different types of reports can be created based on Power BI. You can apply the following networking and identity-based access controls.

    Networking: Microsoft Fabric public access is disabled. Currently, this can only be done at tenant level, as more granular workspace private access will become available in 2025. This can assure that a company can differentiate between private and public workspace. To make sure that end users can access Fabric, private endpoints for Fabric are created in the workspace VNET. This workplace can be peered to the corporate on prem networking using VPN or ExpressRoute. The separation of different networks ensures isolation between the different resources.

    Identity-based access control: End users should get access to reports on a need-to-know basis. This can be done to create a separate workspace where reports are stored and to which users get. Also, users shall only be allowed to log in Microsoft Fabric with conditional access policies applied. This way, it can be ensured that users can only log in from hardened devices to prevent data exfiltration.

    3.5 Final remarks

    In the previous paragraph, an architecture is described where everything is made private and multiple VNET and jumphosts are used. To get your hands dirty and to test this architecture faster, you can decide to test with a simplified architecture below.

    2.3.1 Security connect Azure Databricks SQL to Microsoft Fabric — image by author

    In this architecture, Fabric is configured with public access enabled. Rationale is that Fabric public access setting is currently tenant wide setting. This implies that you need to make all workspaces in a company either private or public. More granular workspace private access will become available in 2025. Also, a single subnet is used to deploy all resources to prevent peering between VNETs and/or deploying multiple jumphosts for connectivity.

    4. Conclusion

    Microsoft Fabric and Azure Databricks are both powerhouses in the data analytics field. Both tools can cover all parts of the lakehouse architecture, but both tools also have their own strengths. A strategic decision could be to integrate the tools especially if there is a non green situation and both tools are used in a company.

    Three different architectures to integrate are discussed: Lakehouse split, virtualization with shortcuts and exposing via SQL API. The first two architectures are more relevant in case you want to put more emphasize on the Fabric analytics capabilities, whereas the last SQL API architecture is more relevant if you want to focus on the Fabric Power BI reporting capabilities.

    In the remainder of the blog, a security architecture is provided for the SQL API architecture in which there is a focus on network isolation, private endpoints and identity. Although this architecture focuses on exposing data from the Databricks SQL, the security principles are also applicable for the other architectures.

    In short: There are numerous things to take into account if and where to integrate Azure Databricks with Microsoft Fabric. However, this shall always be done with security in mind. This blog aimed to give you an in-depth overview using the SQL API as practical example.


    How to Securely Connect Microsoft Fabric to Azure Databricks SQL API was originally published in Towards Data Science on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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    How to Securely Connect Microsoft Fabric to Azure Databricks SQL API

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