Update Python code samples to use mssql-python instead of pyodbc

- Replace pyodbc with mssql-python (Microsoft's official Python driver for SQL Server)
- Remove ODBC Driver dependency from connection strings
- Use built-in Microsoft Entra authentication (ActiveDirectoryMSI, ActiveDirectoryDefault, etc.)
- Remove manual azure-identity token handling code
- Update Django samples to use mssql-django

Files updated:
- articles/service-connector/includes/code-sql-secret.md
- articles/service-connector/includes/code-sql-me-id.md
- articles/service-connector/includes/code-fabricsql-me-id.md
- articles/app-service/includes/tutorial-connect-msi-azure-database/code-sql-mi.md
- articles/storage/common/multiple-identity-scenarios.md
- articles/app-service/troubleshoot-intermittent-outbound-connection-errors.md
- articles/azure-functions/recover-python-functions.md

Author: dlevy-msft-sql

PR_DESCRIPTION.md

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+# Update Python code samples to use mssql-python instead of pyodbc
+
+## Summary
+
+This PR updates all Python code samples in azure-docs-pr to use **mssql-python**, Microsoft's official Python driver for SQL Server, replacing the legacy pyodbc approach.
+
+## Why this change?
+
+**mssql-python** is Microsoft's new official Python driver for SQL Server that offers significant advantages:
+
+
+### Key Benefits
+
+- **No ODBC Driver installation** - mssql-python includes its own native implementation
+- **Built-in Microsoft Entra authentication** - No need for azure-identity + manual token handling
+- **Simpler installation** - Just `pip install mssql-python`
+- **Cross-platform support** - Windows, macOS, and Linux (some Linux distros need standard system libs)
+
+## Changes Made
+
+### Files Updated (7 files)
+
+| File | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| `articles/service-connector/includes/code-sql-secret.md` | Secret/password authentication sample |
+| `articles/service-connector/includes/code-sql-me-id.md` | Microsoft Entra ID authentication sample |
+| `articles/service-connector/includes/code-fabricsql-me-id.md` | SQL database in Fabric managed identity sample |
+| `articles/app-service/includes/tutorial-connect-msi-azure-database/code-sql-mi.md` | App Service managed identity sample |
+| `articles/storage/common/multiple-identity-scenarios.md` | Multiple identity scenarios sample |
+| `articles/app-service/troubleshoot-intermittent-outbound-connection-errors.md` | Updated reference link |
+| `articles/azure-functions/recover-python-functions.md` | Added tip recommending mssql-python |
+
+### Code Pattern Changes
+
+**Before (pyodbc):**
+```python
+import pyodbc
+from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
+import struct
+
+# Manual token acquisition required
+credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
+token = credential.get_token("https://database.windows.net/.default").token.encode("UTF-16-LE")
+token_struct = struct.pack(f'<I{len(token)}s', len(token), token)
+SQL_COPT_SS_ACCESS_TOKEN = 1256
+
+# Requires ODBC Driver to be installed on the system
+conn_string = "Driver={ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server};Server=server.database.windows.net;Database=mydb;"
+conn = pyodbc.connect(conn_string, attrs_before={SQL_COPT_SS_ACCESS_TOKEN: token_struct})
+```
+
+**After (mssql-python):**
+```python
+from mssql_python import connect
+
+# No ODBC driver needed, no manual token handling
+connection_string = "Server=server.database.windows.net;Database=mydb;Authentication=ActiveDirectoryDefault;Encrypt=yes;"
+conn = connect(connection_string)
+```
+
+### Authentication Methods Supported
+
+| Method | Use Case |
+|--------|----------|
+| `ActiveDirectoryDefault` | Local dev (uses `az login` credentials) |
+| `ActiveDirectoryMSI` | Azure hosted (App Service, Functions, VMs) |
+| `ActiveDirectoryInteractive` | Interactive browser login |
+| `ActiveDirectoryServicePrincipal` | Service principal with client ID/secret |
+
+## Testing
+
+All code samples have been validated:
+
+- ✅ Python syntax validation passed for all 7 code blocks
+- ✅ mssql-python import verified
+- ✅ Live connection test to SQL database in Fabric successful
+- ✅ `ActiveDirectoryDefault` authentication tested
+- ✅ `ActiveDirectoryInteractive` authentication tested
+
+## References
+
+- [mssql-python GitHub](https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python)
+- [Microsoft Entra ID authentication wiki](https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python/wiki/Microsoft-Entra-ID-support)
+- [Installation guide](https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python/wiki/Installation)

articles/app-service/includes/tutorial-connect-msi-azure-database/code-sql-mi.md

@@ -79,28 +79,27 @@ For more information, see [Connect using Microsoft Entra authentication](/sql/co
 
 1. Install dependencies.
     ```bash
-    python -m pip install pyodbc
+    python -m pip install mssql-python python-dotenv
     ```
 
 1. Get the Azure SQL Database connection configurations from the environment variable added by Service Connector. Uncomment the part of the code snippet for the authentication type you want to use.
     ```python
-    import os;
-    import pyodbc
+    import os
+    from mssql_python import connect
     
     server = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_SERVER')
     port = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_PORT')
     database = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_DATABASE')
-    authentication = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_AUTHENTICATION')  # The value should be 'ActiveDirectoryMsi'
     
     # Uncomment the following lines according to the authentication type.
     # For system-assigned managed identity.
-    # connString = f'Driver={{ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server}};Server={server},{port};Database={database};Authentication={authentication};Encrypt=yes;'
+    # connection_string = f'Server={server},{port};Database={database};Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;Encrypt=yes;'
     
     # For user-assigned managed identity.
     # client_id = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_USER')
-    # connString = f'Driver={{ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server}};Server={server},{port};Database={database};UID={client_id};Authentication={authentication};Encrypt=yes;'
+    # connection_string = f'Server={server},{port};Database={database};UID={client_id};Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;Encrypt=yes;'
     
-    conn = pyodbc.connect(connString)
+    conn = connect(connection_string)
     ```
     For an alternative method, you can also connect to Azure SQL Database using an access token, refer to [Migrate a Python application to use passwordless connections with Azure SQL Database](/azure/azure-sql/database/azure-sql-passwordless-migration-python).
 

articles/app-service/troubleshoot-intermittent-outbound-connection-errors.md

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ Although PHP doesn't support connection pooling, you can try using persistent da
 * [MySQL](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/connector-python/en/connector-python-connection-pooling.html)
 * [MariaDB](https://mariadb.com/docs/connectors/mariadb-connector-python/api/pool/)
 * [PostgreSQL](https://www.psycopg.org/docs/pool.html)
-* [Pyodbc](https://github.com/mkleehammer/pyodbc/wiki/The-pyodbc-Module#pooling)
+* [mssql-python](https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python) (recommended for SQL Server)
 * [SQLAlchemy](https://docs.sqlalchemy.org/en/20/core/pooling.html)
 
 HTTP connection pooling

articles/azure-functions/recover-python-functions.md

@@ -235,7 +235,10 @@ If your function app is using the Python pickle library to load a Python object
 
 ### Pyodbc connection collision
 
-If your function app is using the popular ODBC database driver [pyodbc](https://github.com/mkleehammer/pyodbc), it's possible that multiple connections are open within a single function app. To avoid this issue, use the singleton pattern, and ensure that only one pyodbc connection is used across the function app.
+If your function app is using the ODBC database driver [pyodbc](https://github.com/mkleehammer/pyodbc), it's possible that multiple connections are open within a single function app. To avoid this issue, use the singleton pattern, and ensure that only one pyodbc connection is used across the function app.
+
+> [!TIP]
+> Consider using [mssql-python](https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python), Microsoft's official Python driver for SQL Server, which provides built-in Microsoft Entra authentication support and doesn't require manual ODBC driver management.
 
 ---
 

articles/service-connector/includes/code-fabricsql-me-id.md

@@ -88,25 +88,24 @@ spring:
 
 1. Install dependencies.
     ```bash
-    python -m pip install pyodbc
+    python -m pip install mssql-python python-dotenv
     ```
 
-1. Retrieve the SQL database in Microsoft Fabric connection string from the environment variable added by Service Connector. If you are using Azure Container Apps as compute service or the connection string in the code snippet doesn't work, refer to [Migrate a Python application to use passwordless connections with Azure SQL Database](/azure/azure-sql/database/azure-sql-passwordless-migration-python#update-the-local-connection-configuration) to connect to SQL database in Microsoft Fabric using passwordless credentials. `Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;` is required in the connection string when connecting using managed identities. `UID=<msiClientId>` is also required in the connection string when connecting using a user-assigned managed identity.
+1. Retrieve the SQL database in Microsoft Fabric connection string from the environment variable added by Service Connector. `Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;` is required in the connection string when connecting using managed identities. `UID=<msiClientId>` is also required in the connection string when connecting using a user-assigned managed identity.
 
     ```python
     import os
-    import pyodbc, struct
-    from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
+    from mssql_python import connect
 
-    connStr = os.getenv('FABRIC_SQL_CONNECTIONSTRING')
+    connection_string = os.getenv('FABRIC_SQL_CONNECTIONSTRING')
     
     # System-assigned managed identity connection string format
-    # `Driver={ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server};Server=tcp:<Fabric-SQL-Identifier>.msit-database.fabric.microsoft.com,1433;Database=<SQL-DB-name>-<Fabric-DB-Identifier>;Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;`
+    # `Server=tcp:<Fabric-SQL-Identifier>.msit-database.fabric.microsoft.com,1433;Database=<SQL-DB-name>-<Fabric-DB-Identifier>;Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;`
     
     # User-assigned managed identity connection string format
-    # `Driver={ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server};Server=tcp:<Fabric-SQL-Identifier>.msit-database.fabric.microsoft.com,1433;Database=<SQL-DB-name>-<Fabric-DB-Identifier>;UID=<msiClientId>;Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;`
+    # `Server=tcp:<Fabric-SQL-Identifier>.msit-database.fabric.microsoft.com,1433;Database=<SQL-DB-name>-<Fabric-DB-Identifier>;UID=<msiClientId>;Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;`
     
-    conn = pyodbc.connect(connString)
+    conn = connect(connection_string)
     ```
 
 ### [Go](#tab/fabricsql-me-id-go)

articles/service-connector/includes/code-sql-me-id.md

@@ -82,34 +82,33 @@ Update your application following the tutorial [Migrate a Java application to us
 
 1. Install dependencies.
     ```bash
-    python -m pip install pyodbc
+    python -m pip install mssql-python python-dotenv
     ```
 
-1. Get the Azure SQL Database connection configurations from the environment variable added by Service Connector. When using the code below, uncomment the part of the code snippet for the authentication type you want to use. If you are using Azure Container Apps as compute service or the connection string in the code snippet doesn't work, refer to [Migrate a Python application to use passwordless connections with Azure SQL Database](/azure/azure-sql/database/azure-sql-passwordless-migration-python) to connect to Azure SQL Database using an access token.
+1. Get the Azure SQL Database connection configurations from the environment variable added by Service Connector. When using the code below, uncomment the part of the code snippet for the authentication type you want to use.
 
     ```python
     import os
-    import pyodbc
+    from mssql_python import connect
     
     server = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_SERVER')
     port = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_PORT')
     database = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_DATABASE')
-    authentication = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_AUTHENTICATION')
     
     # Uncomment the following lines corresponding to the authentication type you want to use.
     # For system-assigned managed identity.
-    # connString = f'Driver={{ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server}};Server=tcp:{server},{port};Database={database};Authentication={authentication};Encrypt=yes;TrustServerCertificate=no;Connection Timeout=30'
+    # connection_string = f'Server={server},{port};Database={database};Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;Encrypt=yes;TrustServerCertificate=no;Connection Timeout=30'
     
     # For user-assigned managed identity.
-    # clientID = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_USER')
-    # connString = f'Driver={{ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server}};Server=tcp:{server},{port};Database={database};UID={clientID};Authentication={authentication};Encrypt=yes;TrustServerCertificate=no;Connection Timeout=30'
+    # client_id = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_USER')
+    # connection_string = f'Server={server},{port};Database={database};UID={client_id};Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;Encrypt=yes;TrustServerCertificate=no;Connection Timeout=30'
     
     # For service principal.
     # user = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_USER')
     # password = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_PASSWORD')
-    # connString = f'Driver={{ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server}};Server=tcp:{server},{port};Database={database};UID={user};PWD={password};Authentication={authentication};Encrypt=yes;TrustServerCertificate=no;Connection Timeout=30'
+    # connection_string = f'Server={server},{port};Database={database};UID={user};PWD={password};Authentication=ActiveDirectoryServicePrincipal;Encrypt=yes;TrustServerCertificate=no;Connection Timeout=30'
     
-    conn = pyodbc.connect(connString)
+    conn = connect(connection_string)
     ```
 
 ### [NodeJS](#tab/sql-me-id-nodejs)

articles/service-connector/includes/code-sql-secret.md

@@ -81,30 +81,30 @@ ms.author: wchi
 
 1. Install dependencies.
     ```bash
-    python -m pip install pyodbc
+    python -m pip install mssql-python python-dotenv
     ```
 
 1. Get the Azure SQL Database connection configurations from the environment variable added by Service Connector.
     ```python
-    import os;
-    import pyodbc
+    import os
+    from mssql_python import connect
     
     server = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_SERVER')
     port = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_PORT')
     database = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_DATABASE')
     user = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_USER')
     password = os.getenv('AZURE_SQL_PASSWORD')
     
-    connString = f'Driver={{ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server}};Server={server},{port};Database={database};UID={user};PWD={password};Encrypt=yes;TrustServerCertificate=no;Connection Timeout=30'    
+    connection_string = f'Server={server},{port};Database={database};UID={user};PWD={password};Encrypt=yes;TrustServerCertificate=no;Connection Timeout=30'
 
-    conn = pyodbc.connect(connString)
+    conn = connect(connection_string)
     ```
 
 ### [Django](#tab/sql-secret-django)
 1. Install dependencies.
    ```bash
    pip install django
-   pip install pyodbc
+   pip install mssql-django pyodbc
    ```
 
 1. In the setting file, get the Azure SQL Database connection configurations from the environment variable added by Service Connector.
@@ -119,14 +119,14 @@ ms.author: wchi
 
     DATABASES = {
         'default': {
-            'ENGINE': 'sql_server.pyodbc',
+            'ENGINE': 'mssql',
             'NAME': database,
             'USER': user,
             'PASSWORD': password,
             'HOST': server,
             'PORT': port,
             'OPTIONS': {
-                'driver': 'ODBC Driver 13 for SQL Server',
+                'driver': 'ODBC Driver 18 for SQL Server',
             },
         },
     }

articles/storage/common/multiple-identity-scenarios.md

@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ To configure this setup in your code, ensure your application registers separate
 1. In your project, install the required packages. The Azure Identity library provides `DefaultAzureCredential`.
 
     ```bash
-    pip install azure-identity azure-storage-blob azure-cosmos pyodbc
+    pip install azure-identity azure-storage-blob azure-cosmos mssql-python
     ```
     
 1. Add the following to your code:
@@ -678,7 +678,8 @@ To configure this setup in your code, ensure your application registers separate
     from azure.cosmos import CosmosClient
     from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
     from azure.storage.blob import BlobServiceClient
-    import os, pyodbc, struct
+    from mssql_python import connect
+    import os
     
     # Create a DefaultAzureCredential instance that configures the underlying
     # ManagedIdentityCredential to use a user-assigned managed identity.
@@ -698,23 +699,21 @@ To configure this setup in your code, ensure your application registers separate
         credential=credential_storage
     )
     
-    # Create a DefaultAzureCredential instance that configures the underlying
-    # ManagedIdentityCredential to use a user-assigned managed identity.
+    # Create an Azure Cosmos DB client
+    # Note: For Cosmos DB, we still need DefaultAzureCredential
     credential_databases = DefaultAzureCredential(
         managed_identity_client_id=os.environ['Managed_Identity_Client_ID_Databases']
     )
 
-    # Create an Azure Cosmos DB client
     cosmos_client = CosmosClient(
         os.environ['COSMOS_ENDPOINT'],
         credential=credential_databases
     )
 
-    # Connect to Azure SQL
-    token_bytes = credential_databases.get_token("https://database.windows.net/.default").token.encode("UTF-16-LE")
-    token_struct = struct.pack(f'<I{len(token_bytes)}s', len(token_bytes), token_bytes)
-    SQL_COPT_SS_ACCESS_TOKEN = 1256  # This connection option is defined by microsoft in msodbcsql.h
-    conn = pyodbc.connect(connection_string, attrs_before={SQL_COPT_SS_ACCESS_TOKEN: token_struct})
+    # Connect to Azure SQL using mssql-python with managed identity
+    # The driver handles authentication internally when using ActiveDirectoryMSI
+    connection_string = f"Server=<your-server>.database.windows.net;Database=<your-database>;UID={os.environ['Managed_Identity_Client_ID_Databases']};Authentication=ActiveDirectoryMSI;Encrypt=yes;"
+    conn = connect(connection_string)
     ```
 
 ---