Data Mission Sync synchronizes Dataverse data to an Azure SQL Database that you own and control. This page covers creating a database and configuring access.
Required Permissions
The permissions required depend on whether you're creating new resources or configuring existing ones:
| Task | Required Permission |
| Create Azure SQL Database and Server | Contributor or SQL DB Contributor role on the resource group |
| Set Microsoft Entra admin on SQL Server | SQL Server Contributor role on the SQL Server |
| Create database user for App Registration | db_owner role on the database (run as Entra admin) |
| 💡 Note: If you're using an existing Azure SQL Database managed by your DBA team, provide them with your App Registration details and ask them to grant db_owner permissions on your target database. | |
Creating an Azure SQL Database
If you don't already have an Azure SQL Database, follow these steps:
1. Sign in to the Azure Portal (https://portal.azure.com).
2. Click Create a resource and search for 'SQL Database'.
3. Click Create.
4. Select your Subscription and Resource Group.
5. Enter a Database name (e.g., 'DataverseSync').
6. For Server, click Create new or select an existing server.
7. When creating a new server, we recommend selecting 'Use Microsoft Entra-only authentication' and setting yourself or your DBA as the admin.
8. Configure compute and storage based on your expected data volume.
9. Click Review + create, then Create.
| Microsoft Entra authentication is required. Data Mission Sync connects to Azure SQL using your App Registration. SQL Server username/password authentication is not supported. |
Database Sizing Recommendations
Choose your Azure SQL tier based on your data volume and sync frequency:
| Data Volume | Recommended Tier | Notes |
| < 10 GB | Basic or S0 | Suitable for small environments, dev/test |
| 10-50 GB | S1 or S2 | Most production workloads |
| 50-200 GB | S3 or General Purpose | Larger environments with frequent syncs |
| > 200 GB | General Purpose (vCore) | Enterprise scale, consider auto-pause for cost savings |
Configuring Microsoft Entra Authentication
You must configure Microsoft Entra authentication to allow Data Mission Sync to connect to your Azure SQL Database:
Step 1: Set a Microsoft Entra Admin on the SQL Server
1. Navigate to your SQL Server (not database) in the Azure Portal.
2. Select Microsoft Entra ID from the left menu under Settings.
3. Optionally, check 'Support only Microsoft Entra authentication for this server'.
4. Click Set admin and select a user or group as the Entra admin.
5. Click Save.
Step 2: Create a Database User for Your App Registration
Connect to the database using the Entra admin account (e.g., via Azure Data Studio or SSMS) and run the following SQL:
-- Replace 'YourAppName' with your App Registration's display name
CREATE USER [YourAppName] FROM EXTERNAL PROVIDER;
ALTER ROLE db_owner ADD MEMBER [YourAppName];
| 💡 Tip: The App Registration name used in CREATE USER must match exactly. Find the display name in Azure Portal → App registrations → Your app → Overview. |