SQL Azure -- Products -- Windows Azure Platform

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?

Use SQL Azure Database to:

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

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

Learn more about SQL Azure on MSDN

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

Get Started Now

Three easy steps:

Learn about SQL Azure on MSDN
Download the
Training Kit
Review SQL Azure pricing

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