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masinghdataarch's avatar
masinghdataarch
Copper Contributor
Mar 02, 2023

Microsoft Azure Data Factory Vs Synapse Analytics - Implementation & Operations Experience

Hello,

 

For our ETL/ELT/Operational Reporting types of projects, we are deciding between Azure Data Factory and Synapse Analytics.

 

As there is a strong overlap between both tools, I want to check if any of my peers have experience with these tools. I am mainly curious about the performance, maintainability and scalability factors related to these tools once the solutions are in production.

 

Appreciate your thoughts.

 

Thanks
Manjit

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  • LukeJMadden's avatar
    LukeJMadden
    Brass Contributor
    Mar 27, 2023
    Good evening Manjit,

    If you have not done so already, I recommend checking out the Microsoft learn pages, specifically this one: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/synapse-analytics/data-integration/concepts-data-factory-differences

    Both Azure Data Factory (ADF) and Azure Synapse Analytics offer powerful ETL/ELT and data integration capabilities, and there is some overlap in their functionality. Here are some factors to consider when choosing between them:

    Performance:
    Both ADF and Synapse Analytics are designed to handle large volumes of data and offer scalable data processing capabilities. However, Synapse Analytics offers a dedicated SQL pool that is optimized for high-performance analytics workloads, making it a better choice for large-scale data warehousing and analytics projects.

    Maintainability:
    Both tools offer a range of features for managing and monitoring ETL/ELT processes, such as scheduling and monitoring tools. However, Synapse Analytics offers more advanced management and monitoring capabilities, such as workload management, that make it easier to manage complex data processing pipelines.

    Scalability:
    Both tools are designed to scale to meet the needs of large-scale data processing projects. However, Synapse Analytics offers more advanced scalability features, such as automatic scaling and distributed query processing, that make it a better choice for projects that require high levels of scalability.

    Overall, both Azure Data Factory and Azure Synapse Analytics offer powerful ETL/ELT and data integration capabilities, but the choice between them will depend on your specific needs and requirements. If you require high-performance analytics capabilities or advanced management and monitoring features, Synapse Analytics may be the better choice. If your focus is on general ETL/ELT processes and data integration, Azure Data Factory may be more suitable.

    Kind regards,

    Luke

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