How Azure Data Factory and Synapse analytics evolved over time

Background

Back in the older days, people didn’t pay much attention to data engineering. But then, tools like SQL Server Integration Service made things a bit easier. Even though this tool let us bring in data from different sources, like files, its main job was to move data into SQL Server. Then Azure Data Factory showed up.

Azure Data Factory

Azure Data Factory(ADF), really has come a long way. It started off pretty simple, just helping move data from here to there in the cloud. But now? It’s a full-on powerhouse, making complex data movement and transformations. Let’s take a quick walk through how it got from point A to point B:

Period	Milestone	Key Features
Pre-2015	Before ADF	Data integration handled by on-premises solutions like SSIS. Cloud-based data integration tools not yet mainstream.
2015	Initial Launch of ADF	Launch of Azure Data Factory for orchestrating data workflows across various data stores.
2017-2018	Introduction of ADF V2	Visual Data Flows, Trigger-based Scheduling, Integration Runtime, Enhanced Monitoring and Management.
2018-Present	Continuous Updates and Integration with Azure Services	Regular feature updates, new connectors, integration with Azure Databricks, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Azure Machine Learning.
2019-Present	Integration with Azure Synapse Analytics	Unified analytics platform, combining data integration, big data, and analytics within Azure Synapse Analytics.
2020-Present	Simplification and Advanced Capabilities	User Experience Improvements, dynamic content, parameterization, enhanced security and management capabilities.

Azure Synapse analytics

Similar to ADF, Azure Synapse Analytics has come a long way too from its days as SQL Data Warehouse. It’s now a one-stop shop for all things analytics. The table below shows some important milestones.

Period	Milestone	Key Developments
Pre-2019	SQL Data Warehouse	Development and enhancements of SQL Server Data Warehouse capabilities, setting the stage for Azure Synapse Analytics.
2019	Azure Synapse Analytics Launch	Rebranding of SQL Data Warehouse to Azure Synapse Analytics, introducing a unified analytics platform.
2020	Integrated Workspace	Introduction of Synapse Studio, providing tools for data integration, exploration, and management within a unified workspace.
2021	Connectivity and Usability Enhancements	Integration with Azure Purview for data governance, and expansion of on-demand query capabilities.
2022	Performance and Flexibility Improvements	New features for performance optimization and enhanced data lake exploration tools.
2023	Expansion of Ecosystem Support	Support for an open data ecosystem and introduction of advanced analytics functions.
2024 (Current)	Ongoing Development	Continuous enhancements focusing on integration, analytics capabilities, and performance optimizations.