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Azure Synapse Analytics

Data Warehouse

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★★★★☆ 4.3 / 5 on G2 · 4.4 on Capterra (200+ G2 reviews)
4.3 / 5
G2 rating, 200+ reviews [source]
Azure
Native [source]
Analytics
+ big data [source]
Usage
Based pricing [source]

Quick facts

CategoryAnalytics service (Microsoft/Azure)
VendorMicrosoft
Starts atUsage based
Best forMicrosoft ecosystem
DeploymentAzure
Free planFree trial / credits
IntegrationsAzure, Power BI, ETL
G2 rating4.3 / 5
Capterra rating4.4 / 5

What is Azure Synapse Analytics?

Azure Synapse Analytics is Microsoft's analytics service combining data warehousing and big data, integrated with Azure and Power BI, suited to organisations on Microsoft and Azure wanting integrated analytics (now part of Microsoft Fabric). It brings together enterprise data warehousing (SQL), big data (Spark), data integration (pipelines) and analytics in one Azure service, with tight integration with Azure Data Lake, Power BI and the Microsoft data stack, so Microsoft organisations analyse data at scale within Azure. Microsoft is increasingly unifying analytics under Microsoft Fabric (a SaaS platform building on Synapse), but Synapse remains a key Azure analytics service. For the Microsoft and Azure ecosystem, Azure Synapse is a leading choice.

Azure Synapse's distinction is being Microsoft's integrated analytics service within Azure, uniting warehousing and big data. For Microsoft and Azure organisations, it combines SQL warehousing, Spark big data, data integration and analytics in one service tied to Azure Data Lake and Power BI, which non Microsoft warehouses do not match for Azure integration, and it feeds into the unified Microsoft Fabric. That Azure and Microsoft integration and combined analytics set it apart.

Synapse at a glanceAzure Synapse Analytics is Microsoft's analytics service combining warehousing and big data on Azure [Microsoft]. It holds a 4.3 out of 5 rating across more than 200 reviews on G2 and 4.4 on Capterra, a leading choice for the Microsoft ecosystem.

Who Azure Synapse is best for

Azure Synapse Analytics is best for organisations on Microsoft and Azure that want an integrated analytics service combining data warehousing and big data, tied to Azure Data Lake and Power BI. It suits the Microsoft ecosystem. It is a weaker fit for those wanting multi cloud neutrality and sharing, where Snowflake fits, a unified lakehouse and AI, where Databricks fits, serverless on Google Cloud, where BigQuery fits, or the AWS ecosystem, where Redshift fits. Microsoft organisations should also consider the newer unified Microsoft Fabric.

Key features

The core strengths are enterprise SQL data warehousing, big data (Spark), data integration (pipelines), and analytics in one Azure service, with tight integration with Azure Data Lake, Power BI and the Microsoft stack, serverless and provisioned options, and security. Azure Synapse offers integrated Azure analytics. Its Azure and Microsoft integration and combined warehousing and big data are its defining advantages.

Azure Synapse pricing

Azure Synapse is usage based, charging for compute (provisioned or serverless, for SQL and Spark) and storage, within Azure, with options and credits. Microsoft Fabric (which unifies analytics) uses capacity based pricing. So costs depend on usage and which option you use. Confirm details on the Azure Synapse page.

Integrations and ecosystem

Azure Synapse integrates with Azure Data Lake, Power BI, Azure Machine Learning, and the Microsoft and Azure data stack, plus BI and ETL tools. Its Azure and Power BI integration, which ties analytics into the Microsoft data and BI ecosystem, is a signature strength for Microsoft organisations, now extended by Microsoft Fabric.

Synapse and the Microsoft ecosystem

Being Microsoft's integrated analytics service within Azure, uniting warehousing and big data, is the signature strength: for Microsoft and Azure organisations, Synapse combines SQL warehousing, Spark big data, integration and analytics tied to Azure Data Lake and Power BI, which non Microsoft warehouses do not match for Azure integration, feeding into unified Microsoft Fabric. For the Microsoft ecosystem, this is the main reason to choose it.

Ease of use and support

Azure Synapse is well rated for combining warehousing and big data, Azure and Power BI integration and scale, with Microsoft support, though reviewers note complexity and that Microsoft is shifting focus to the unified Microsoft Fabric, reflected in its 4.3 rating. Its G2 reviews praise Azure integration, with complexity and the Fabric transition the main considerations.

Is Azure Synapse worth it?

For organisations on Microsoft and Azure that want integrated analytics combining warehousing and big data tied to Power BI, Azure Synapse is a strong choice (with Microsoft Fabric the newer unified direction). The main caution is complexity and the Fabric transition, so multi cloud suits Snowflake, a lakehouse Databricks, serverless BigQuery, and AWS Redshift, but for the Microsoft ecosystem Synapse (or Fabric) leads.

Pricing

Serverless SQL

Usage
by data processed
  • On demand queries
  • No clusters
  • Flexible

Dedicated SQL pool

Usage
by compute
  • Provisioned warehouse
  • Steady workloads
  • Scale

Microsoft Fabric

Capacity
per capacity
  • Unified platform
  • OneLake and Power BI
  • Newer direction

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Combines warehousing and big data
  • Deep Azure and Power BI integration
  • Serverless and provisioned options
  • Microsoft ecosystem fit
  • Feeds into Microsoft Fabric

Cons

  • Can be complex
  • Microsoft shifting to Fabric
  • Best within Azure
  • Costs need monitoring

Azure Synapse Analytics alternatives

These data warehouse tools come up most often against Azure Synapse Analytics.

Snowflake

Cloud data platform with separated storage and compute

Databricks

Lakehouse platform unifying data warehousing and AI

Google BigQuery

Serverless cloud data warehouse on Google Cloud

Azure Synapse Analytics FAQ

What is Azure Synapse used for?
Azure Synapse Analytics is used for integrated analytics on Azure: combining SQL data warehousing, big data (Spark), data integration and analytics in one service, tied to Azure Data Lake and Power BI, so Microsoft organisations store and analyse data at scale within Azure.
How much does Azure Synapse cost?
Azure Synapse is usage based, charging for compute (provisioned or serverless, SQL and Spark) and storage within Azure, with credits, while Microsoft Fabric uses capacity based pricing. See the Azure Synapse page.
Azure Synapse vs Snowflake, which is better?
Azure Synapse is Microsoft's integrated analytics service within Azure, while Snowflake is a multi cloud data platform. Synapse suits Microsoft and Azure organisations wanting native integration; Snowflake suits multi cloud, vendor neutral warehousing and sharing.
Is Azure Synapse part of Microsoft Fabric?
Microsoft Fabric is Microsoft's newer, unified SaaS analytics platform that builds on and brings together capabilities including those of Synapse (warehousing, engineering, BI) on OneLake, so Microsoft is increasingly directing analytics through Fabric, while Synapse remains a key Azure service.
Does Azure Synapse integrate with Power BI?
Yes. Azure Synapse integrates tightly with Power BI (and Azure Data Lake and the Microsoft stack), so Microsoft organisations can analyse Synapse data in Power BI, which is a key reason Microsoft and Azure organisations choose it.
Does Synapse combine warehousing and big data?
Yes. Azure Synapse combines enterprise SQL data warehousing with big data (Spark) and data integration in one service, so organisations can do both structured warehousing and big data analytics together on Azure, which is a defining feature.

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