How to create a new metastore?

Question

I want to configure Unity Catalog and one step is creating a metastore in the region where I create databricks workspace (I am on Azure).

I created a workspace with a premium pricing tier and I am the admin.

Following the documentation, I should go to the Data tab to create metastore.

However, when I open the Data tab, I don't see "Create Metastore" button.

The same in SQL persona:

Could you guide me how to make a new metastore?

If a metastore is already created in the region, how can I find it?

Answer 1

In order to do this sort of management, you should access the Databricks account portal at the tenant level:

Databricks Account

From there, you can create and manage the metastores, as well as assign a metastore with a Databricks Workspace, which is what you have created.

Take into account that for most of what you have described, you must be an account admin for the Databricks Account.

As per the official docs (source):

The first Azure Databricks account admin must be an Azure Active Directory Global Administrator at the time that they first log in to the Azure Databricks account console. Upon first login, that user becomes an Azure Databricks account admin and no longer needs the Azure Active Directory Global Administrator role to access the Azure Databricks account. The first account admin can assign users in the Azure Active Directory tenant as additional account admins (who can themselves assign more account admins). Additional account admins do not require specific roles in Azure Active Directory.

Answer 2

Configure your Unity Catalog Metastore

Go to + New add click on new notebook and open.

If you already have catalogs with data .then use below command to check,

# Show all catalogs in the metastore.

display(spark.sql("SHOW CATALOGS"))

If you don't have catalog . create utility catalog :

# Create a catalog.

spark.sql("CREATE CATALOG IF NOT EXISTS catalog_name")

# Set the current catalog.

spark.sql("USE CATALOG catalog_name")

for more information refer this offical_document and Notebook.

Answer 3

You must be an Azure Databricks account admin to getting started using Unity Catalog this can be done for first time using Azure Active Directory Global Administrator of your subscription.

As per official documentation:

The first Azure Databricks account admin must be an Azure Active Directory Global Administrator at the time that they first log in to the Azure Databricks account console. Upon first login, that user becomes an Azure Databricks account admin and no longer needs the Azure Active Directory Global Administrator role to access the Azure Databricks account. The first account admin can assign users in the Azure Active Directory tenant as additional account admins (who can themselves assign more account admins). Additional account admins do not require specific roles in Azure Active Directory.

How to identify your Microsoft Azure global administrators for your subscriptions?

The global administrator has access to all administrative features. By default, the person who signs up for an Azure subscription is assigned the global administrator role for the directory. Only global administrators can assign other administrator roles.

Login into the Azure Databricks account console via Global admin and then account admin can assign users in the Azure Active Directory tenant.

For more details, refer to Azure Databricks - Get started using Unity Catalog and also refer to MS Q&A thread - How to access Azure Databricks account admin? addressing similar issue.