Microsoft® SQL Azure™ Database is a cloud-based relational database service built for Windows® Azure platform. It provides a highly available, scalable, multi-tenant database service hosted by Microsoft in the cloud. SQL Azure Database enables easy 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 supports Transact-SQL (T-SQL). Customers can leverage existing tools and knowledge in T-SQL based familiar relational data model for building applications.

1. Microsoft® SQL Azure™ Database is a cloud-based relational database service built for Windows®
Azure platform. It provides a highly available, scalable, multi-tenant database service hosted by
Microsoft in the cloud. SQL Azure Database enables easy 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 supports Transact-
SQL (T-SQL). Customers can leverage existing tools and knowledge in T-SQL based familiar relational
data model for building applications.
Cloud based Database Elastic scale across multiple According to analysts, more than
as a Service DBs - Security management. 70 percent of a typical IT budget
Databases can be scaled up or is spent on infrastructure such as
SQL Azure is built on the enterprise- down based on business needs. servers, operating systems, storage,
class SQL Server relational database Pay as you grow. and networking. The cost of
and Windows Server® technologies. managing this infrastructure
It provides the following benefits: Business Scenarios is increasing.
It helps developers to quickly Organizations are seeing an explosion Customers want highly secure
build or extend applications to of data and applications that access access to information on any
run in the cloud environment. and manage the growing amount device from anywhere.
It helps maintain low-cost of data.
management with a highly New types of data-driven Typical database scenarios include:
scalable infrastructure. Web 2.0 applications are Scalable Web Applications: Small
It helps maintain business- emerging. Developers want to customers, hobbyists or startups
continuity with reliability, build interconnected database with web applications of all scale
security and availability. applications quickly and integrate that have RDBMS needs
end-to-end mash-ups with existing ISV Packaged/Custom LOB
applications. They want to focus Applications: Traditional SaaS ISVs
SQL Azure Database and custom developers extending
more on innovating with data and
Highlights less on setting up infrastructure. their offerings or packaged/custom
Businesses are looking for ways software hosted in the cloud
Symmetry with SQL Server - Departmental Application:
to lower their upfront CapEx costs,
Support for T-SQL based relational Enterprises building departmental/
quickly scale to meet growing
data model. Integration with existing workgroup applications
demands, and offset rising data
SQL Server tools.
management costs.
Self-Managing across multiple DBs - Data Hub: Companies using SQL
No need to install or patch software Azure to consolidate multiple data
or other physical administration. sources in the Cloud and enable
Auto High availability and Fault secure access from multiple locations,
tolerance. Simple provisioning and desktop and/or devices.
deployment of multiple databases.

2. Developer Agility With SQL Azure Database, you can Business-Ready SLAs
explore relational data model to Use the proven Microsoft data
By using SQL Azure Database, build the next generation of Internet platform infrastructure and large
developer agility and quick services and implement centralized geo-dispersed data centers. Take
deployments are ensured through data storage for multiple users, advantage of the SQL Server
a familiar data access interface applications, and devices relational database architecture
and a relational data model that that extends to the cloud to include
supports tools developers are Elastic Scale security, compliance, and high
already familiar with. availability. Web service ISVs can
Gain business flexibility and scale with easily create multi-tenant solutions,
TSQL-based relational Data Model the ability to pay as you grow without providing the required isolation
and Familiar Tool Support limits; remove database procurement between tenant data while
SQL Azure Database is built on the and management needs, and access simplifying provisioning
Microsoft CloudDB platform; a highly data virtually anytime, anywhere. and management.
scalable database platform for the Scale databases easily with low
Internet based on the solid foundation upfront costs and a pay as you grow Protect Against Data Loss
of SQL Server. The relational data model. Provision only the data storage Microsoft SQL Azure manages
model used by Microsoft SQL Azure you need, and then extend your multiple replicated copies of the data
provides the same core database storage solution as your application and provides transactional consistency
features as SQL Server; making it easy grows or to cope with cyclical across multiple copies.
to develop an application in an on- database utilization increases.
premise SQL Server instance and then Secure Your Data
deploy the database schema and data Self-managing Help maintain confidentiality
to the SQL Azure Database. and privacy through highly
SQL Azure Database provides self secure login access.
Applications access SQL Azure managing capabilities for multiple
Database across the Internet by databases that enable developers Additional Information
using the same Tabular Data Stream to focus on developing business For more information, see:
endpoint as SQL Server. This enables applications and removes concerns Product page:
developers to use the same network about provisioning multiple http://www.microsoft.com/azure/sql.
libraries, data access components, databases. No need to install, patch mspx
and development tools as they use and upgrade software. MSDN Developer Center:
to access on-premise SQL Server Self-provisioning and self-deployment http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/
data stores. capabilities remove the manual steps sqlserver/dataservices/default.aspx
required for physical administration. Blog:
Developers can use familiar data http://blogs.msdn.com/ssds
access technologies like ADO. Access Any Amount of Data Training:
NET, ODBC, and JDBC; and take Virtually Anytime, Anywhere http://www.microsoft.com/
advantage of new innovations in on the Web downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=
data programmability through SQL Azure Database offers near 413E88F8-5966-4A83-B309-
technologies like LINQ, the ADO.NET anytime access to your data. Using 53B7B77EDF78&displaylang=en
Entity Framework, and ADO.NET your credentials, almost any device
Data Services. with an Internet connection can
access it.
Create Innovative New Solutions
Microsoft SQL Azure Database is the Business-Ready Reliability,
relational database as a service for Security Features,
the Microsoft Windows Azure. As
you build new solutions that take
and Continuity
advantage of the possibilities of Gain reliability and security features
cloud-based software services, you with the enterprise-class Microsoft
can take advantage of the relational data infrastructure and features that
database services provided by offer high levels of data protection.
Microsoft SQL Azure to complement
the Windows Azure Storage.
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