SQL Azure is a cloud-based relational database platform built on Microsoft® SQL Server® technologies. With SQL Azure, you can easily provision and deploy relational database solutions to the cloud.

1. Partner Technical Datasheet
Agility in the new economy
Transform your business with SQL Azure.
SQL Azure is a cloud-based relational database platform built on Microsoft® SQL Server®
technologies. With SQL Azure, you can easily provision and deploy relational database
solutions to the cloud. These take advantage of a globally distributed data center that
provides enterprise-class availability, scalability, and security features with the benefits of a
self-healing, low maintenance database infrastructure.
Trends in Data Management
Organizations are seeing a proliferation of data as requirements to access and
manage information increase. “The cost of RDBMS
Data management is a growing component of IT spend. New database deployment is software has increased
proliferating, creating management challenges. New types of data-driven web applications by 18% or more per year
are emerging, business data needs are more demanding, and data management challenges in recent years, putting
are more complex. More and more applications need to integrate among disparate systems,
frequently outside organizational boundaries.
further pressure on
enterprises to look for
As data proliferates and complexity grows, organizations are facing shrinking budgets and alternate solutions.”
pressures to do more with reduced resources. Businesses are looking for ways to lower their
upfront capital expenditure while quickly scaling to meet growing demands. Forrester: Database-as-a-
service explodes on the
Database-as-a-service, provisioned in the cloud, provides a compelling alternative to meet
these growing demands.
scene, July 31, 2008
Partner Application Scenarios
Build new web-based solutions or extend existing applications to the cloud with a
reliable and trustworthy database platform.
1. Packaged Applications.
Convert or extend a packaged application with a relational database to a cloud application. “Production databases
2. Web-based Applications. account for only 25% of
Build Innovative web-based applications that use new data models for distributed client all databases deployed in
applications on multiple devices. an enterprise, with 75%
3. Custom Applications. related to supporting
Build or migrate custom applications for departments with no IT support, customers that
application development.”
want to virtualize an existing custom application, or simplify data management among
custom applications. Forrester: Database-as-
service explodes on the
scene, July 31, 2008
1 Package Application 2 Web-based Application 3 Custom Application
Consolidate data and virtualize existing
Expand your business by extending your Innovate SaaS application or web custom applications or build new ones
current packaged offering to the cloud applications of all scale quickly quickly and easily

2. Partner Technical Datasheet
Agility in the new economy
Transform your business with SQL Azure.
Building your solution with SQL Azure
SQL Azure is the cloud-based relational database platform built on Microsoft® SQL Server®
technologies, allows you to build and deploy your relational database solution to the Azure cloud. “As a developer, I need to
become more competitive.
The Azure platform and
SQL Azure will allow me to
leverage my existing skills
to move even deeper into
the SaaS space.”
Independent developer
SQL Azure, a core component of Microsoft’s Windows Azure platform
Why build with SQL Azure?
Speed up development, simplify deployment, and scale application to business needs.
Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Help save money by using commodity hardware to interact with SQL Azure and eliminate How to get started
additional database-related hardware costs. Save time and management costs with self-healing ● Sign up for the Partner Quick
features of the service that remove the need for maintenance. Speed time-to-deployment with start portal www.azure.com/
partnerquickstart
auto-provisioning.
● Learn more about Microsoft’s
Unlimited, Automated Scaling Azure Platform and SQL Azure
Provision only the data storage you need, and then grow your application to cope with increased at:
http://www.microsoft.com/
utilization. SQL Azure is built on a geo–distributed data center with virtually unlimited scalability to azure/default.mspx
handle bursts. ● Sign up for the upcoming
SQL Azure CTP (August 2009)
Reduced Deployment Time
http://msdn.microsoft.com/
Use the relational database services provided by SQL Azure to build the next generation of Internet en-us/sqlserver/dataservices/
services and implement centralized data storage for multiple users, applications, and devices default.aspx
without the complexities of provisioning servers. ● Get more information about
SQL Azure including the latest
Self Managing, self healing news, feature developments
SQL Azure provides self management features that remove concerns about managing data and Whitepapers. http://www.
recovery and availability. microsoft.com/azure/default.
mspx
Virtual Data Access ● Read the SQL Azure FAQs
SQL Azure offers near anytime access to your data. Using your credentials, almost any device with http://www.microsoft.com/
an Internet connection can access it. azure/faq.mspx#sql
● Learn about SQL Azure from
Developer Agility the community (forums,
Using SQL Azure ensures developer agility and quick deployments through a familiar data access blogs) http://msdn.microsoft.
com/en-us/sqlserver/
interface and a relational data model.
dataservices/default.aspx
Based on SQL Server ● Visit MSDN site:
SQL Azure is based on the solid foundation of SQL Server. SQL Azure uses the same core database http://msdn.microsoft.com/
en-us/sqlserver/dataservices/
features as SQL Server; making it easy to develop an application in an on–premise SQL Server default.asp
instance and then deploy the database schema and data to the SQL Azure.
Business-Ready SLAs
Use the proven Microsoft data platform infrastructure and large geo–dispersed data centers. SQL
Azure’s relational database architecture extends to the cloud to include security, compliance, high
availability, and network encryption. Multi-tenancy provides the required isolation between tenant
data while simplifying provisioning and management.