What functionality does Polybase provide in Azure Synapse Analytics?

PolyBase in Azure Synapse Analytics is designed to enable you to retrieve data from various data sources, including both relational and non-relational sources. This functionality allows users to efficiently query large datasets that reside outside of the traditional relational database system. By using PolyBase, you can integrate data from sources such as Azure Blob Storage or Hadoop into your analytical workflows, leveraging the power of Azure Synapse without needing to physically move or replicate that data into the Synapse environment.

This capability makes PolyBase particularly valuable for handling big data scenarios, as it simplifies the process of analyzing data that is stored in different formats or systems. It allows users to write T-SQL queries that can seamlessly access and combine data from a variety of sources, enhancing the flexibility and power of your analytical capabilities in Azure Synapse Analytics.