In this Data Exposed episode, Anna Hoffman and Santhosh Kumar Ravindran show how data engineers can secure and scale Spark workloads in Microsoft Fabric, harnessing features like Managed Private Endpoints and the Native Execution Engine.

Securely Scaling Spark Data Engineering in Microsoft Fabric

Presenters: Anna Hoffman and Santhosh Kumar Ravindran
Channel: Data Exposed

Overview

Security and performance are essential considerations for modern data engineering. This episode explores how to securely connect Apache Spark to on-premises and private data sources in Microsoft Fabric and optimize Spark workloads for both cost and speed.

Key Topics Covered

1. Securing Spark Connectivity with Managed Private Endpoints

• Use Managed Private Endpoints in Microsoft Fabric to establish secure connections between Spark and private/on-premises data sources.
• Private Link service connectivity enables traffic to flow privately—eliminating exposure to the public internet.
• Enforce strict inbound and outbound network restrictions for robust security.

➡️ Learn more: Managed Private Endpoints for Fabric

2. Cost Optimization with Autoscale Billing

• Autoscale billing for Spark lets workloads scale flexibly and pay only for what you use.
• Ideal for spiky or unpredictable workloads that need efficient resource allocation.

➡️ Learn more: Autoscale Billing for Spark in Microsoft Fabric

3. Performance Boost: Native Execution Engine

• Unlock up to 4x faster performance for Spark workloads using the Native Execution Engine in Microsoft Fabric.
• Achieve these gains without any code modifications.
• Data engineers benefit from improved speed at no additional cost.

➡️ Learn more: Native Execution Engine for Fabric Data Engineering

Demo Highlights

• Real-world demonstration of configuring Managed Private Endpoints.
• Step-by-step guidance on setting up Autoscale billing and leveraging the Native Execution Engine.
• Tips to ensure maximum security and cost efficiency in analytics pipelines.

Further Resources

• Data Exposed YouTube channel for more episodes
• Follow Anna Hoffman: @AnalyticAnna
• Overview of Microsoft Fabric Data Engineering