What is SQL Azure?
In short, SQL Azure is simply a Microsoft branding change. SQL Services and SQL Data Services are now known as Microsoft SQL Azure and SQL Azure Database. There are a few changes, but fundamentally Microsoft’s plans to extend SQL server capabilities in cloud as web-based services remain intact. SQL Azure will continue to deliver an integrated set of services for relational databases. The reporting, analytics and data synchronization with end-users and partners also remains unchanged. This makes it most appealing to current users of SQL Server.
SQL Azure is going to be the Next Big Thing from Microsoft. It is just giving SQL Server a new way of doing operations it was doing for long time. Being on cloud, it keeps development relatively simple by keeping the heart of the programming almost the same. Additionally, SQL Azure keeps the goals of SQL Server, i.e. high availability, scalability and security in the core.
Developers can just start developing SQL Azure application locally using SQL Server Express version (http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql/download/), or the CTP version that will be available in August.
Read my complete article here.
Reference : Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)
10 Comments. Leave new
Really helpful one,thanks pinal
Hi,
I have MS SQL Server 2005. Do I need to download the SQL Server 2008 Express to develop SQL Azure applications?
I actually don’t understand the entire picture. What I understand is that Microsoft is trying to build cloud computing environment based on Microsoft-technologies like Amazon and others. I think right now, it would cost a lot to build a MS-SQL-database driven web-sites or applications on cloud. So if MS Azure comes up with pricing-structure like Amazon, it would be very useful.
I would be grateful to you, if could answer the following questions –
1) I have a very small internal website based on MS SQL-database and ASP. I want to put it on the cloud. Do I need to make changes in Database? Do I need to make changes in asp-web-pages?
2) Can I take a regular backup of the database from cloud? Can I establish database-replication between cloud-database and my internal server database?
3) Does SQL Azure mean anything without cloud computing? I mean is there any other use of it?
Thanks in advance
Hi Pinal,
When it was announced & What was the reason to changes their names? I thinks Azure word comes from Microsoft favorit colour by Microsft researcher. Am I correct or any other reason? You are very closed to MIcrosoft so I can hope my answer from you.
All my above query only the reason if the titles “SQL Services” and “SQL Data Services” was very common for all SQL Server professionals then what was the reason?
Thanks & Regards,
Rajiv Singh
I’m unable to access the SQL Azure from my SQL 2005 management studio, nay specific reasons?
You cannot access SQL Azure from any SSMS except SQL 2008 R2
Very useful article, just what I was looking for.
Thanks for sharing.
Very Informative. thanks.
Hello Pinal,
Whats the best way to load Huge CSV dataset to the SQL Azure?. Currently i have being parsing and inserting one by one to the database which takes a longtime. Do you come across similar scenario?
Thank you Pinal! I’ve been looking for some information on this for a while. I did, however, have a bit of a problem with some of the more technical aspects of the piece. Can anyone help me out with some suggestions as to how I can learn more in layman’s terms?
Yeah, this is a great article, but if you are not an experienced programmer it’s difficult to get it 100%. I suggest you visit some software companies’ blogs, they will often present the information in a not-too-technical way, like this one for example: