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Azure SQL: Adding a new data sync group fails

Georg Sieber 45 Reputation points
2026-04-20T13:07:29.79+00:00

I try to add a new data sync group (currently no exist). However, i get the error

Failed to perform data sync operation: Cannot find the user 'DataSync_executor', because it does not exist or you do not have permission. Creating certificate Creating symmetric key Granting permission to [DataSync_executor] on certificate

I already found these cleanup scripts which are sometimes recommended on similar issues. I ran the [Data Sync complete cleanup.sql](https://github.com/vitomaz-msft/DataSyncMetadataCleanup/blob/master/Data%20Sync%20complete%20cleanup.sql"Data Sync complete cleanup.sql") but it did not help in my case.

Please have a look in this case

https://github.com/vitomaz-msft/DataSyncMetadataCleanup/tree/master

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Azure SQL Database
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  1. Pilladi Padma Sai Manisha 7,720 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-20T13:12:46.99+00:00

    Hi Georg Sieber,
    Thankyou for reaching microsoft Q&A!

    We checked the backend telemetry and identified an orphaned sync group (named single-sync), which was left behind from a previous sync group creation/deletion process. Although this sync group was not visible in the portal and database cleanup scripts were already executed, it still existed in the backend service metadata.

    This orphaned sync group caused the Data Sync configuration to remain in an inconsistent state, leading to the error:

    Cannot find the user 'DataSync_executor'…

    To resolve this, we engaged the engineering team to mitigate and remove the orphaned sync group from the backend. Once the cleanup was completed, the issue was fully resolved.

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  1. Georg Sieber 45 Reputation points
    2026-04-27T12:39:21.8266667+00:00

    Issue could only be solved by Azure support which needed to clean up stale objects on backend side.

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  2. Alberto Morillo 35,506 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-04-20T23:17:34.7366667+00:00

    Please run the following T-SQL statements on the Hub database, on the Metadata database and on the Member database used by SQL Data Sync.

    SELECT name FROM sys.schemas
WHERE name IN ('DataSync','dss','TaskHosting');

SELECT name, type_desc
FROM sys.database_principals
WHERE name IN ('DataSync_admin','DataSync_executor','DataSync_reader',
               '##MS_SyncAccount##','##MS_SyncResourceManager##');

SELECT name FROM sys.certificates
WHERE name LIKE 'DataSync%';

SELECT name FROM sys.symmetric_keys
WHERE name LIKE 'DataSync%';

    The above queries tell you if leftovers still exist. Run the GitHub cleanup script on each database you find leftovers. Create a brand-new, empty Sync Metadata Database in the same region as the hub, then try to do the configuration again.

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