September 16, 2024

How to Connect dbt Cloud to Microsoft SQL Server

Set up dbt for Microsoft SQL Server on dbt Cloud: activate virtual env, run dbt init, select database type, enter host value & grant user permissions.
Dexter Chu
Head of Marketing

How to Activate the Virtual Environment for Microsoft SQL Server Setup?

Activating the virtual environment is the first step in setting up Microsoft SQL Server with dbt Developer Hub. This involves creating an isolated environment where you can install the necessary packages and dependencies without affecting your system's Python environment.

python -m venv env
source env/bin/activate

The above code creates a new virtual environment and activates it. This environment is where you will install the necessary packages for the setup.

  • Python: The programming language used to create the virtual environment.
  • venv: A module in Python used to create virtual environments.
  • env: The name of the virtual environment.

How to Run the dbt Init Command in the Setup?

Running the dbt init command is the next step. This command initializes a new dbt project in your current directory.

dbt init [project-name]

The above command initializes a new dbt project with the specified project name. This creates a new directory with the project name and sets up the necessary files for the project.

  • dbt: A command-line tool used for data transformation.
  • init: A command in dbt used to initialize a new project.
  • project-name: The name of the new dbt project.

How to Select the Databricks or Spark Database in the Setup?

After naming the project, the next step is to select the databricks or spark database. This involves specifying the type of database you want to use in your dbt project.

dbt profile --target databricks

The above command sets the target database to databricks. You can replace 'databricks' with 'spark' if you want to use the spark database.

  • dbt: A command-line tool used for data transformation.
  • profile: A command in dbt used to manage profiles.
  • target: A flag used to specify the target database.

How to Enter the Host Value in the Setup?

Entering the host value is the next step. This involves specifying the host of your database in the dbt profile.

dbt profile --host [host-value]

The above command sets the host of the database to the specified value. This value is the address of your database server.

  • dbt: A command-line tool used for data transformation.
  • profile: A command in dbt used to manage profiles.
  • host: A flag used to specify the host of the database.

How to Grant User Permissions in the Setup?

Granting user permissions is the final step. This involves granting the user the necessary permissions on the database level.

GRANT CREATE SCHEMA, CREATE TABLE, CREATE VIEW, SELECT ON DATABASE::[database-name] TO [username]

The above command grants the user the necessary permissions on the specified database. This allows the user to create schemas, tables, views, and select data from the database.

  • GRANT: A SQL command used to grant permissions.
  • CREATE SCHEMA, CREATE TABLE, CREATE VIEW, SELECT: The permissions granted to the user.
  • DATABASE::[database-name]: The database on which the permissions are granted.
  • TO [username]: The user to whom the permissions are granted.

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