Configuring your own Azure DevOps organization for Azure Synapse Studio Git integration

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In this post I want to cover configuring your own Azure DevOps organization for Azure Synapse Studio Git integration. Because setting it up is not so easy.

For example, say you use the Azure credit you get with your Visual Studio subscription and to create an Azure Synapse Analytics workspace for testing outside of work.

In addition, you have created a personal Azure DevOps organization for testing purposes, and you want to store the Git repository for Azure Synapse Studio there.

By default, the above scenario will not work unless you make some changes.

By the end of this post, you will know how to configure your personal Azure DevOps organization so that it to be used to store a Git repository for Azure Synapse Studio.

In addition, you can also use the below to get a Git repository in your own Azure DevOps organization to work with Azure Data Factory as well.

Before you read any further, I have to stress this relates to personal Azure DevOps organizations you have created yourself for testing. Not corporate ones that you use at work.

Create own Azure DevOps organization for Azure Synapse Studio

To save repeating myself, you can read my old post on how to create your own Azure DevOps organization here. It can be fairly easy to do if creating at home.

Be aware though that if you do this at work some companies do not allow you to create your own organization if it is connected to their Active Directory.

Problem with own Azure DevOps organization for Azure Synapse Studio

Creating your own Azure DevOps organization is fine. However, if you try and use it for a Git repository for Azure Synapse Studio you can have issues.

To demonstrate this, I have created an Azure DevOps organization for testing purposes. Within that organization I have created a project called Synapse2 with a Git repository of the same name.

However, if I try and follow the official instructions to add source control in Azure Synapse Studio, I am unable to select the organization in the window that appears. You can read those instructions in detail here.

If I try to click ‘Use repository link’ and enter in the URL to the repository that does not work either. However, I do get the below error message that helps explain the issue.

Verify that your Azure DevOps account is connected to the AAD account, the Azure DevOps repository is in the Default Directory (blah-blah-blah-blah-blah) tenant, and that your current ADF user account has been added to the Azure DevOps organization.

What it’s telling is that I need to connect my Azure DevOps organization to my default Azure Active Directory Account.

Connect to Active Directory

First step is to check that I have a default directory setup within my Azure account. So, I log into the Azure portal and check my Azure Active Directory settings.

Afterwards, I go back into Azure DevOps. To connect to Azure Active Directory, I go into the Organization settings of my Azure DevOps organization and select the ‘Azure Active Directory’ section.

From there I can connect to my Default Directory as you can see below.

However, before you click the Connect button below and sign out make sure you bookmark your organization if using Chrome! Of course, if you are using Edge add it as a favorite instead!

Now, if you were to sign out and close your browser window you could have a surprise. Because if your account is linked to other Azure DevOps organizations and you log back in you may find the organization you have just changed is now absent.

If this does happen to you do not panic, because you have options here. If you wish to keep seeing your other organizations by default, I suggest you open up your other organization in an Incognito/InPrivate window. You could do this easily if you saved a link to it earlier.

Main thing to remember is that you cannot view Azure DevOps organizations that are linked to an Azure Active Directory and those that are not together. You can only view one group or the other. Even though you are using exactly the same login.

For example, the two below are linked to an Azure Active Directory.

Try setting up code repository again

Now I can try setting up the code repository again. So, I do the same again, selecting my default directory. However, as you can see below this time it works and I can select everything.

I do recommend creating your own collaboration branch if using this with a new repository. Doing this will keep the main branch free. So, you can use it as part of a CI/CD strategy.

For example, a deployment pipeline can run whenever a pull request has been completed for the main branch.

Anyway, once I click on apply Azure Synapse Studio starts to process the request. Once completed I go back into Azure DevOps and the files are now there.

Sharing

Now, you might want to share your Azure DevOps organization. For example, if you are joint presenting a session with somebody. You can have some issues whilst doing this. If you do have problems the post here about adding users to Active Directory can help.

In addition, you can read some of my other tips about sharing Azure DevOps organizations here. Because it can be a very useful thing to do.

Final word

I hope this post about configuring your own Azure DevOps organization for Azure Synapse Studio Git integration is of use. Because you have to do a bit of work if you want your own organization to do this.

Of course, if you are doing this in the workplace it should all be configured OK and work fine.

If you have any comments or queries about this post feel free to reach out to me.