Support HTTP/HTTPS URL-Based Azure Blob Storage Connections in ETL Import/Export

Details

Detail name Value
Changelog Number 30479
Type Improvement
Status Resolved
Fix Versions Exasol 2026.1.0
Resolution Date 2026-05-15

Background

Currently, Exasol ETL Azure Import/Export supports only key-value pair–based connection strings for accessing Azure Blob Storage. Users must define storage endpoints and credentials using this structured format, which limits flexibility and does not align with common Azure practices where services are typically accessed via HTTP/HTTPS URLs.

Improvement

Support has been extended to allow Azure Blob Storage connections using a standard HTTP/HTTPS URL format:

https://<AccountName>.blob.<EndpointSuffix>/

⚠️ Note: The container name must not be included in the URL. It must be specified separately using the FILE clause.

Example:

Key Enhancements

  1. URL-Based Connection Support
  2. Authentication Support
    The new URI format is supported across all authentication mechanisms:
    a) Account Key Authentication
  6. Validation Rules
  7. Format Compatibility
  8. Backward Compatibility
  • Users can now specify the storage endpoint using a full HTTP/HTTPS URI instead of key-value pairs.
  • The account name provided in the URL can be the same as or different from the one used in authentication (where applicable).
  • Requires USER to be provided in SQL syntax.
  • USER represents the account name used for authentication.
IMPORT INTO demo FROM PARQUET AT CLOUD AZURE BLOBSTORAGE
'https://<AccountName>.blob.<EndpointSuffix>/'
USER '<accountName>' IDENTIFIED BY '<account key>'
FILE '<container>/<filename>';

b) SAS Token Authentication

  • USER must not be provided.
  • If USER is specified, an error is thrown.
  • USER can be left empty.
IMPORT INTO demo FROM PARQUET AT CLOUD AZURE BLOBSTORAGE
'https://<AccountName>.blob.<EndpointSuffix>/'
SAS TOKEN '<sas token>'
FILE '<container>/<filename>';

c) Azure Active Directory (AAD) Authentication

  • USER must not be provided.
  • If USER is specified, an error is thrown.
  • Authentication is performed using client credentials.
IMPORT INTO demo FROM PARQUET AT CLOUD AZURE BLOBSTORAGE
'https://<AccountName>.blob.<EndpointSuffix>/'
IDENTIFIED BY '<client secret>'
CLIENT ID '<client id>'
TENANT ID '<tenant id>'
FILE '<container>/<filename>';
  • Enforced behavior ensures correct usage of authentication parameters:
  • USER is mandatory for Account Key authentication.
  • USER is not allowed for SAS Token and AAD authentication.
  • Misuse results in clear validation errors.
  • The new URI-based connection works across all supported file formats:
  • CSV
  • FBV
  • Parquet
  • Existing key-value pair connection strings remain fully supported.
  • No changes are required for current implementations.

Benefits

  • Simplifies connection configuration using familiar URL patterns.
  • Improves developer experience and readability of SQL statements.
  • Aligns Exasol ETL functionality with standard Azure access practices.
  • Enables more flexible and modern integration scenarios.