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Microsoft held its annual FabCon and the first SQLCon in Atlanta, bringing together 8,000 attendees to learn about how databases and Microsoft Fabric are coming together. The event focused on new ways to build a unified data platform that speeds up AI development and deployment.
Key Takeaways
- Unified Data Platform: Microsoft Fabric and SQL Server are coming together as a single platform to manage transactional, operational, and analytical data.
- Database Hub in Fabric: This new feature lets users manage different databases in one place, whether they are on the edge, in the cloud, or within Fabric.
- AI-Readiness: Fabric now has better tools to turn data into useful knowledge that AI agents need.
- Expanded Connectivity: Fabric’s mirroring feature now works with more systems, such as SharePoint lists, Dremio, Oracle, and SAP Datasphere.
- Developer Tools: Microsoft introduced Rayfin SDK and CLI, which help developers build strong application backends directly on Fabric.
Unifying Databases and Fabric
FabCon/SQLCon 2026 was an important milestone for bringing data platforms together. Microsoft Fabric, now used by over 31,000 customers, is being closely integrated with Microsoft SQL Server. This move is meant to make data management easier by combining transactional, operational, and analytical data in one system.
The new Database Hub in Fabric, now in early access, lets users manage databases from different environments, like Azure SQL, Azure Cosmos DB, and SQL Server with Azure Arc, all in one place.
The new Database Hub in Fabric, now in early access, lets users manage databases from different environments, like Azure SQL, Azure Cosmos DB, and SQL Server with Azure Arc, all in one place.
Current SQL Server or Fabric users can start moving to the new platform by joining the Database Hub early access program and using Microsoft’s migration tools.
Organizations should check their current data setup, review compatibility, and follow the step-by-step guides to connect their workloads to Fabric. Pilot migrations and hybrid connections are available, making it easier for IT teams to move gradually and avoid major disruptions.
Organizations should check their current data setup, review compatibility, and follow the step-by-step guides to connect their workloads to Fabric. Pilot migrations and hybrid connections are available, making it easier for IT teams to move gradually and avoid major disruptions.
Enhancing Data for AI
The event focused on preparing data for AI. Microsoft Fabric IQ adds an important layer of intelligence, giving AI agents shared business context. This context comes from productivity signals, company knowledge, and real-time business data.
The platform helps users get their data ready for AI by unifying, processing, and organizing it, adding meaning, and enabling AI agents to use it.
The platform helps users get their data ready for AI by unifying, processing, and organizing it, adding meaning, and enabling AI agents to use it.
Innovations in Connectivity and Security
Microsoft has expanded Fabric’s mirroring features to support more data sources, including SharePoint lists and Dremio, with Azure Monitor coming soon. Mirroring for Oracle and SAP Datasphere is now available. Right now, mirroring needs Fabric capacity SKU F64 or higher and works only with databases using standard T-SQL endpoints or compatible APIs.
At launch, SharePoint lists mirroring works with online SharePoint sites on Microsoft 365, but not with older on-premises lists. Some advanced data types and functions, such as spatial data and CLR user-defined types, are not yet supported. For best results, Microsoft suggests a network speed of at least 2 Gbps for source systems.
At launch, SharePoint lists mirroring works with online SharePoint sites on Microsoft 365, but not with older on-premises lists. Some advanced data types and functions, such as spatial data and CLR user-defined types, are not yet supported. For best results, Microsoft suggests a network speed of at least 2 Gbps for source systems.
Security is still a top concern. OneLake security will soon be generally available, giving unified access controls across all engines, including row and column-level permissions. OneLake security needs Azure Active Directory and works with data in Fabric-managed workspaces. Right now, external table permissions and cross-tenant data sharing are in preview and have some limits, like less audit logging and limited custom RBAC roles.
Empowering Developers and Agents
For developers, Rayfin is a new open-source SDK and CLI that makes it easier to build strong application backends in Fabric. Rayfin works with popular languages like Python, Java, and C#, and supports frameworks such as .NET and Node.js.
Developers can use Rayfin to manage data pipelines, deploy machine learning models, and connect cloud services. It helps with tasks like real-time data collection, event-driven processing, and automated data management, making it faster to go from idea to production.
New AI features and Copilot tools are also now available in all paid Fabric SKUs, giving more data teams access to AI-powered productivity tools.
Sources
- FabCon and SQLCon 2026: Unifying databases and Fabric on a single data platform, Microsoft Azure.
- Microsoft Build 2026: Building agentic apps with Microsoft Fabric and Microsoft Databases, Microsoft Azure.
- Fueling tomorrow’s AI with new agentic capabilities and security innovations in Fabric |
Microsoft Fabric Blog, Microsoft.
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