Introduction to Azure Data Factory

What is Azure Data Factory?

Azure Data Factory (ADF) is a cloud-based data integration service that allows users to create data-driven workflows for orchestrating and automating data movement and transformation. It is designed to perform ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) operations and supports a no-code interface that enhances productivity for data professionals.

Steps to Create an Azure Data Factory

1. Navigate to Azure Portal: Use the Azure search bar or menu to find Azure Data Factory and select Create.
2. Basic Configuration: - Choose your Subscription and Resource Group (create a new one if needed).
   - Enter a globally unique Data Factory Name.
   - Choose the Region closest to your data sources.
3. Git Configuration (Optional): Connect to a GitHub repository for source control, or use the Azure-hosted repository option.
4. Networking: Decide between public or private endpoint access based on your security requirements.
5. Security: Configure encryption settings and choose whether to use Azure-managed keys or customer-managed keys.
6. Review + Create: Review all your settings and click Create. The deployment typically takes under a minute.
7. Launch Azure Data Factory Studio: Once deployed, click Go to resource and then Launch Studio to begin building your pipelines.

Why Use Azure Data Factory?

• No-code environment simplifies pipeline creation
• Supports over 90 built-in connectors
• Seamless Git integration for version control
• Enterprise-grade security and scalability