Can I run Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse ingestion incrementally?

Yes. Use snapshot-plus-incremental or time-based extraction when the source supports it so the first load stays simple and later runs only move new or changed data.

5-minute tutorial

Copy Data from Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse with ingestr

Learn how to move Microsoft SQL Server data into Synapse with a repeatable CLI workflow using ingestr.

One command Zero code Production ready

What you'll learn

How to install and set up ingestr in seconds

Connect to Microsoft SQL Server and Synapse with proper authentication

Copy entire tables or specific data with a single command

Set up incremental loading for continuous data synchronization

Prerequisites

Python 3.8 or higher installed
SQL Server instance running
SQL Server Authentication or Windows Authentication configured
TCP/IP protocol enabled in SQL Server Configuration Manager
Firewall rules for port 1433
Azure Synapse workspace
Azure Active Directory credentials

Step 1: Install ingestr

Install ingestr in seconds using pip. Choose the method that works best for you:

Recommended: Using uv (fastest)

# Install uv first if you haven't already
pip install uv

# Run ingestr using uvx
uvx ingestr

Alternative: Global installation

# Install globally using uv
uv pip install --system ingestr

# Or using standard pip
pip install ingestr

Verify installation: Run ingestr --version to confirm it's installed correctly.

Step 2: Your First Migration

Let's copy a table from Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse. This example shows a complete, working command you can adapt to your needs.

Set up your connections

Microsoft SQL Server connection format:

mssql://username:password@host:port/database

Parameters:

• username: SQL Server login
• password: Login password
• host: Server name or IP
• port: Port number (default 1433)
• database: Database name
• encrypt: Use encryption (true/false)
• trustServerCertificate: Trust certificate

Synapse connection format:

synapse://username:password@workspace.sql.azuresynapse.net/database

Parameters:

Run your first copy

Copy the entire users table from Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse:

ingestr ingest \
    --source-uri 'mssql://sa:MyPass123@localhost:1433/AdventureWorks' \
    --source-table 'dbo.Customers' \
    --dest-uri 'synapse://username:password@workspace.sql.azuresynapse.net/database' \
    --dest-table 'raw.Customers'

What this does:

• Connects to your Microsoft SQL Server database
• Reads all data from the specified table
• Creates the table in Synapse if needed
• Copies all rows to the destination

Command breakdown:

--source-uri Your source database
--source-table Table to copy from
--dest-uri Your destination
--dest-table Where to write data

Step 3: Verify your data

After the migration completes, verify your data was copied correctly:

Check row count in Synapse:

-- Run this in Synapse
SELECT COUNT(*) as row_count 
FROM raw.Customers;

-- Check a sample of the data
SELECT * 
FROM raw.Customers 
LIMIT 10;

Advanced Patterns

Once you've mastered the basics, use these patterns for production workloads.

Only copy new or updated records since the last sync. Perfect for daily updates.

ingestr ingest \
    --source-uri 'mssql://sa:MyPass123@localhost:1433/AdventureWorks' \
    --source-table 'public.orders' \
    --dest-uri 'synapse://username:password@workspace.sql.azuresynapse.net/database' \
    --dest-table 'raw.orders' \
    --incremental-strategy merge \
    --incremental-key updated_at \
    --primary-key order_id

How it works: The merge strategy updates existing rows and inserts new ones based on the primary key. Only rows where updated_at has changed will be processed.

Common Use Cases

Ready-to-use commands for typical Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse scenarios.

Daily Customer Data Sync

Keep your analytics warehouse updated with the latest customer information every night.

# Add this to your cron job or scheduler
ingestr ingest \
    --source-uri 'mssql://sa:MyPass123@localhost:1433/AdventureWorks' \
    --source-table 'public.customers' \
    --dest-uri 'synapse://username:password@workspace.sql.azuresynapse.net/database' \
    --dest-table 'analytics.customers' \
    --incremental-strategy merge \
    --incremental-key updated_at \
    --primary-key customer_id

Historical Data Migration

One-time migration of all historical records to your data warehouse.

# One-time full table copy
ingestr ingest \
    --source-uri 'mssql://sa:MyPass123@localhost:1433/AdventureWorks' \
    --source-table 'public.transactions' \
    --dest-uri 'synapse://username:password@workspace.sql.azuresynapse.net/database' \
    --dest-table 'warehouse.transactions_historical'

Development Environment Sync

Copy production data to your development Synapse instance (with sensitive data excluded).

# Copy sample data to development
ingestr ingest \
    --source-uri 'mssql://sa:MyPass123@localhost:1433/AdventureWorks' \
    --source-table 'public.products' \
    --dest-uri 'synapse://username:password@workspace.sql.azuresynapse.net/database' \
    --dest-table 'dev.products' \
    --limit 1000  # Only copy 1000 rows for testing

Choosing a Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse data integration tool

If you're comparing ways to move Microsoft SQL Server data into Synapse, start with the path you can run locally, review in code, and schedule later.

What is the best data integration tool to move data from Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse?

ingestr is a good fit when you want an open-source CLI for Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse ingestion. You can run it from your terminal, CI, or a scheduled job, then move the same pipeline into Bruin Cloud when you need orchestration, lineage, and monitoring.

Can this run as an incremental pipeline?

Yes. Use snapshot-plus-incremental or time-based extraction when the source supports it. That keeps the first load simple while making later runs smaller and easier to monitor.

When should I use Bruin Cloud with ingestr?

Use Bruin Cloud when the Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse pipeline needs schedules, alerts, data quality checks, audit trails, or catalog and lineage visibility for the rest of the team.

Troubleshooting Guide

Solutions to common issues when migrating from Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse.

Connection refused or timeout errors

Check your connection details:

Enable TCP/IP in SQL Server Configuration Manager
Check SQL Server Browser service is running
Verify Windows Firewall allows SQL Server
Ensure Mixed Mode authentication if using SQL login

Authentication failures

Common authentication issues:

Enable TCP/IP in SQL Server Configuration Manager
Check SQL Server Browser service is running
Verify Windows Firewall allows SQL Server
Ensure Mixed Mode authentication if using SQL login

Schema or data type mismatches

Handling data type differences:

ingestr automatically handles most type conversions
Microsoft SQL Server: NVARCHAR for Unicode support
Microsoft SQL Server: Hierarchyid for tree structures
Microsoft SQL Server: Spatial data types for geographic data
Microsoft SQL Server: XML and JSON support

Performance issues with large tables

Optimize large data transfers:

Use incremental loading to process data in chunks
Run migrations during off-peak hours
Split very large tables by date ranges using interval parameters

Ready to scale your data pipeline?

You've learned how to migrate data from Microsoft SQL Server to Synapse with ingestr. For production workloads with monitoring, scheduling, and data quality checks, explore Bruin Cloud.

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