Invalid value for key 'authentication'

Question

I have a .NET Core 3.0 app where am trying to connect to a Azure SQL database using EF Core and Active directory integrated authentication.
I have verified that I have access to this database from my machine as I can connect to it just fine using SQL server management studio and 'Azure Active Directory-Integrated' authentication.

However, when I try to read data in my app (using EF Core), I always get a System.Argument exception with the following statement:

Invalid value for key 'authentication'

Exception details point to the Db connection string.

So, here is my connection string from my dev appsettings.json file:

"ConnectionStrings": { "MCDB": "Server=tcp:dev-media-center-sql.database.windows.net,1433;Initial Catalog=MediaCenter;Persist Security Info=False;User ID={my User ID};MultipleActiveResultSets=False;Encrypt=True;TrustServerCertificate=False;Authentication=Active Directory Integrated;" },

I have tried hard coding the connection string directly in my code, thinking that there might be a problem with my JSON but I still get the same exception.

Is "Active Directory Integrated" not a valid value for the 'Authentication' keyword? If not, what is it then? I have already tried "ActiveDirectoryIntegrated" (with no spaces) and /"Active Directory Integrated"/ (escaping double quotes) but to no avail.

Where do you run your app? Is it in Azure? Is using Managed Identities an option? — juunas, Jan 09 '20 at 06:07

score 18 · Answer 1 · edited Mar 30 '23 at 19:48

18

If you're using EF Core with the Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer package, then be aware of this tip from the Microsoft Learn page on the EF Core Database provider:

The Microsoft.Data.SqlClient package ships more frequently than the EF Core provider. If you would like to take advantage of new features and bug fixes, you can add a direct package reference to the latest version of Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.

That being said, the fix is to add the package to your project:

edited Mar 30 '23 at 19:48

TylerH

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answered Sep 08 '21 at 21:11

Francisco Vilches

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How do you know that this feature need newer version of SqlClient? – zolty13 Dec 06 '21 at 22:54
I have the same error when I choose connection string with AAD userId and password. I have installed SqlClient 3.0.1 – zolty13 Dec 06 '21 at 23:08
Anyone know what the minimum version of Microsoft.Data.SqlClient is that works with this authentication mode? – Martin Brown Apr 19 '23 at 17:18
Yes, this just worked. – T. Webster Jul 05 '23 at 15:12

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited Mar 30 '23 at 19:46

3

Upgrading to the latest version of Microsoft.Data.SqlClient resolved the issue for me.

edited Mar 30 '23 at 19:46

TylerH

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answered Jun 28 '22 at 13:22

roney

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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 25 '20 at 23:43

This is essentially the same problem discussed in relation to a newer .NET Core version, which was answered as currently unsupported in that version, however I have added a comment where I note that it now works - see EF Core 3.1 using Authentication=Active Directory Integrated

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited Apr 06 '23 at 14:07

1

I saw that I was referring to System.Data.SqlClient for DB connectivity in my legacy application. I replaced it with using Microsoft.Data.SqlClient and it resolved the exception.

edited Apr 06 '23 at 14:07

Bart Sipes

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answered Mar 30 '23 at 19:30

Raghava Akula

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score 0 · Answer 5 · edited Apr 18 '23 at 01:43

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You can use "Authentication=Active Directory Managed Identity" and be sure to set the User ID to the Object(principal)ID of the identity.

Example:

Data Source=dev-westeurope-001.database.windows.net;
     Initial Catalog=dev-westeurope-001;
     Authentication=Active Directory Managed Identity;
     User ID=[PrincipalId];
     TrustServerCertificate=True;

edited Apr 18 '23 at 01:43

Noctis

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answered Jun 10 '22 at 20:14

Scott Semyan

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score -1 · Answer 6 · edited Mar 30 '23 at 19:46

If your only option for connecting to the Azure SQL Database is through Active Directory authentication, and your ADO.NET SqlConnection object is having problems trying to recognize the "Active Directory Integrated" value as the Authentication, you can still use the "Active Directory Password" value if you know the credentials of the user you're using to try to connect to the database. The connection string will be something like this:

"Server=tcp:yourservername.database.windows.net,1433;Initial Catalog=yourdatabasename;Persist Security Info=False;User ID={your_username};Password={your_password};MultipleActiveResultSets=False;Encrypt=True;TrustServerCertificate=False;Authentication="Active Directory Password";"

That worked for me.

Invalid value for key 'authentication'

6 Answers6

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