SQL Azure Developer

Start here to find everything you need to develop cloud applications using SQL Azure Database.

To write applications for SQL Azure, you can use any of the Microsoft .NET Framework programming languages: Microsoft Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual C#, or Microsoft Visual C++. You can also use the ADO.NET data provider for SQL Server, the SQL Server 2008 Native Client ODBC driver, and the SQL Server 2008 Driver for PHP version 1.1. In addition, SQL Azure allows developers to use a subset of the SQL Server existing query language Transact-SQL to query a database and to insert, update, and delete data in tables in a database.

Get Started With SQL Azure

1. Download the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit
   The Windows Azure platform Training Kit includes a comprehensive set of technical content including samples, demos, hands-on labs, and presentations that are designed to help you learn how to use the Windows Azure platform. These labs cover Windows Azure, Service Bus and Access Control, SQL Azure, and Live Services
2. Create a new SQL Azure account and register for the CTP
   The SQL Azure Database CTP is available for free. Click Here to create your account with your Live ID, and we will send you an invitation code. (Due to high demand for the SQL Azure Database CTP, there may be some delays in receiving your invitation codes as we onboard new participants.)
3. Log in
   Visit https://sql.azure.com and sign in with your Live ID, then enter your invitation code.
4. Create your SQL Azure Server (and databases)

Whitepapers

• Overview of Microsoft SQL Azure
  Companies today are faced with ever-increasing amounts of data from numerous sources that need to be shared across a variety of devices. Meeting these needs requires constant investment in servers, operating systems, storage, and networking. Microsoft® SQL Azure Database, provides an improved way to respond to these challenges with enhanced manageability, scalability, and developer agility. This whitepaper provides an overview of the SQL Azure Database. It lays out the advantages for using a cloud-based relational database service, and also describes practical usage scenarios that help you understand how SQL Azure Database can be used to optimize business solutions.
• SQL Azure vs. SQL Server - Similarities and Differences
  SQL Azure Database is a cloud database service from Microsoft. SQL Azure provides web-facing database functionality as a utility service. Cloud-based database solutions such as SQL Azure can provide many benefits, including rapid provisioning, cost-effective scalability, high availability, and reduced management overhead. This paper provides an architectural overview of SQL Azure Database, and describes how you can use SQL Azure to augment your existing on-premises data infrastructure or as your complete database solution.

SQL Azure Communities

Meet the Bloggers

Code Samples

• Using SQLCMD with SQL Azure

SQL Azure on MSDN

• Learn more about SQL Azure on MSDN

Find additional resources and SQL Azure Documentation