Updated: May 31, 2023 (November 28, 2022)

SQL Server 2022: First Version to Use Azure Active Directory

Andrew analyzes and writes about Microsoft's data management, business intelligence, and machine learning solutions, as well as aspects of licensing... more

SQL Server 2022 is the first version capable of directly using Azure Active Directory for authentication.
Using Azure AD provides new authentication features, including multifactor authentication for sensitive data access.
It can simplify deployments and potentially reduce cost.
It requires a continuous link to Azure and other components that are new to SQL Server deployments.

SQL Server 2022, released in Nov. 2022, can use Azure Active Directory (AD) for user authentication in most places where a SQL Server instance resides; on-premises, in a third-party hosting provider like Amazon Web Services (AWS), and on Windows Server Azure VMs (in preview). Using Azure AD reduces the need to use Windows Server AD, which can reduce cost. However, using Azure AD requires registering servers with Azure and deploying local agents with admin-level access, which might not be acceptable for some sensitive applications.

Solving the Problem and Use Cases

SQL Server 2022’s support of Azure AD lifts a barrier many customers face in adopting Azure AD as a central user authentication hub. Unlike Azure SQL PaaS database services that can all use Azure AD, SQL Server versions prior to 2022 are limited to two forms of user authentication:

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