Invalid value for key 'authentication' - json

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.
Thanks
Fike

Answer 1

Here's what did it for me:
If you're using EF Core with package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer...
Then be aware:
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.
source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/ef/core/providers/sql-server/?tabs=dotnet-core-cli
That being said 👆, the fix was EASY. Just add the package to your project 👇

Answer 2

upgraded to latest version of Microsoft.Data.SqlClient and the issue is resolved.
Hope this will help someone

Answer 3

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

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

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;