To create an Azure VM for SQL Server, pick a SQL Server image in the portal, size the machine, and set the network and SQL options before you press Create. This post walks through each portal tab, explains which choices are hard to change later, and ends with three T-SQL checks to run once you are connected. It also covers the cost of leaving the machine running.
SQL SERVER – Performance Analysis of Backup to Azure
Compression saves backup space, but does it save time too? My Performance Analysis of backup to Azure compares timings with and without compression.
Telling Which Platform You Run On With SERVERPROPERTY EngineEdition
Read EngineEdition with edition and version properties, select platform-aware diagnostics, and avoid treating an engine family as a license.
Cloud Consulting Pre-Engagement Questionnaire – A Bookmark
Thinking of moving an app to the cloud? The Cloud Consulting pre-engagement questionnaire I use with customers, worth bookmarking before your first call.
SQL SERVER – Backup to URL Fails in Azure Resource Manager (ARM) Deployment Model with Error – (400) Bad Request
Backup to URL failed with (400) Bad Request on storage created in the Azure Resource Manager model. Here is why and how my client got it working.
SQL SERVER – Creating a Copy of Database in Azure SQL DB
A client wanted to tune a slow query on a copy, not on production. Here is how to create a copy of a database in Azure SQL DB and work on it safely.
SQL SERVER – Setting Firewall Settings With Azure SQL Server VMs
Can’t reach SQL Server on an Azure VM from your app? The firewall was the culprit. Here are the steps I use to set firewall rules with Azure SQL Server VMs.