Microsoft SQL Azure Database is a cloud-based relational database service built on SQL Server technologies. It provides a highly available, scalable, multi-tenant database service hosted by Microsoft in the cloud. SQL Azure Database helps to ease provisioning and deployment of multiple databases. Developers do not have to install, setup, patch or manage any software. High availability and fault tolerance is built-in and no physical administration is required. SQL Azure Database supports Transact-SQL(T-SQL). Customers can use existing knowledge in T-SQL development and a familiar relational data model for symmetry with existing on-premises databases. SQL Azure Database can help reduce costs by integrating with existing toolsets and providing symmetry with on-premises and cloud databases.
Uses of SQL Azure Database:
- Build scalable, custom web applications, which is especially a need for small to mid-size businesses, hobbyist, and startups
- Build packaged line-of-business applications, which is attractive to traditional, SaaS ISVs and custom developers
- Build corporate departmental applications
- Consolidate multiple data sources in the Cloud and enable secure access from multiple locations, desktop and/or devices
Benefits of SQL Azure Database:
- No need to install or patch software or other physical administration
- Automatic high availability and fault tolerance
- Simple provisioning and deployment of multiple databases
- Scale databases up or down based on business needs
Multi-tenant - Integration with SQL Server and tooling including Visual Studio
- Support for T-SQL based familiar relational database model
SQL Azure Database Features
- Relational Database Management Services (RDBMS)
- Creating, accessing and manipulating tables, views, indexes, roles, stored procedures, triggers, and functions
- Execute complex queries and joins across multiple tables
- Insert, Update, and Delete
- Constraints
- Transactions
- Temp tables
- Basic functions (aggregates, math, string, date/time)
- A subset of the existing SQL Server built-in stored procedures and system views
- Support for tracking billable metrics in real time and for historical analysis
Programmability
- Managed ADO.NET data access
- Native ODBC
- Support for PHP
Tools
- Deployment Support for running SQL configuration scripts via
- SQLCMD Provision Logical Servers and Databases through the SQL Azure Database account portal
More Information:
http://www.azure.com/
Learn more about SQL Azure on MSDN
Transact-SQL (T-SQL)
