Data Platform Tips 23 - Azure SQL Indexer - Azure Cognitive Search Indexer for Azure SQL Database

Azure SQL Indexer also called as "Azure Cognitive Search Indexer for Azure SQL Database" allows you to search over the SQL Database. Azure Cognitive Search Indexer currently supports SQL Authentication only.

Azure Cognitive Search Indexer for SQL Database requires Data Source and Indexer to be configured.

A DataSource provides the

• Data that needs to be indexed and searched 
• Credentials to access data
• Policies that effectively identifies changes in data

An indexer is a resource that connects a single data source with a targeted search index. 

a) Logon to the Azure Portal

b) Navigate to your Azure SQL Database and click on "Add Azure Search"

c) Create a new Search Service as shown below.

d) Next step is to "Add an Index" as shown below.

e) Once Index is created, you can import data from an existing Azure SQL Database and select a table that needs to be searched.

f) Add Cognitive Skills capability and enrichment to your search.

g) Now you can go ahead and create the indexer which will index your dataset and make it searchable.