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SQL Azure
 
 
 

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.

What is SQL Azure Database?SQL Azure Database



        Microsoft  Project Code-Named “Houston” is a lightweight and easy to use database management tool for SQL Azure databases. It is designed specifically for Web developers and other technology professionals seeking a straightforward solution to quickly develop, deploy, and manage their data-driven applications in the cloud. Project “Houston” provides a web-based database management tool for basic database management tasks like authoring and executing queries, designing and editing a database schema, and editing table data.

 Benefits of using SQL Azure
  1. No need to install or patch software or other physical administration
  2. Automatic high availability and fault tolerance
  3. Simple provisioning and deployment of multiple databases
  4. Scale databases up or down based on business needs
  5. Multi-tenant
  6. Integration with SQL Server and tooling including Visual Studio
  7. Support for T-SQL based familiar relational database model

 

 

    

 

 


SQL Azure Database Features

Relational Database Management Services (RDBMS)

  1. Creating, accessing and manipulating tables, views, indexes, roles, stored procedures, triggers, and functions
  2. Execute complex queries and joins across multiple tables
  3. Insert, Update, and Delete
  4. Constraints
  5. Transactions
  6. Temp tables
  7. Basic functions (aggregates, math, string, date/time)
  8. A subset of the existing SQL Server built-in stored procedures and system views
  9. Support for tracking billable metrics in real time and for historical analysis
 

Programmability

  1. Managed ADO.NET data access
  2. Native ODBC
  3. Support for PHP

Tools

  1. Provision Logical Servers and Databases through the SQL Azure Database account portal
  2. SQL Server Management Studio: an integrated environment with graphics tools for accessing and configuring SQL Server and SQL Azure databases: 32-bit ; 64 bit
  3. Microsoft® Project Code-Named “Houston”: web-based database management.
  4. Deployment Support for running SQL configuration scripts via SQLCMD

The release of SQL Server 2008 R2 adds client tools support for SQL Azure, including added support through SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). SQL Server Management Studio can be used to manage SQL Azure and can be downloaded for free along with SQL Server Express. Additionally, SQL Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server Express have full support for SQL Azure – in terms of seamless connectivity, viewing objects in the object explorer, SMO scripting.

 

 

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