When anyone refers to Azure SQL, they’re actually referring to SQL in the cloud. There are three main deployment options when it comes to Azure SQL.
The first type is an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solution which consists of SQL server running on an Azure Virtual Machine. Azure will manage the infrastructure and the host, while the customer manages the OS and the SQL server instance.
This is a good option for customers with expiring hardware contracts, or older versions of SQL 2008 R2. It’s an option that allows the customer to select the version of SQL that they need on the OS that they want. By moving to an Azure Virtual Machine, you also get free, automatic security updates, and can set up automated backups, as well as have point-in-time restore.
The second option is Azure SQL Server Managed Instance, which moves one more level towards a Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering. Azure manages the infrastructure and the OS, while the customer manages the server. Azure SQL Managed Instance is a step further towards cloud migration. Its main benefit is to remove management overhead regarding infrastructure, Server, and Database. Also, this benefits customers that have a need for instant scope features like service broker, SQL server agent, Machine Learning, and CLR.
One of the key features of Managed Instance is getting a SQL server instance with the full feature set, but with additional PaaS managed capabilities. Online Migration allows you to do a fairly seamless migration from your on-premise environment by using backup and restore and log shipping technology.
The Third offering is Azure SQL Database, wherein Azure manages the infrastructure, the OS and the SQL server and the customer is responsible for administration of the database. Azure SQL Database is built to develop modern cloud apps and Software as a Service applications. It can help customers quickly and easily scale their computing capabilities and storage. With Azure managing the SQL server, customers can focus on database management, using features like elastic pools, which lets you manage groups of shared databases. Hyper scaling can provide the maximum size and performance for large scale applications. Serverless computing also lets you pause SQL server and pay only for usage. It provides the most flexibility out of the managed service capabilities, allowing it to easily interact with other Azure managed services.
With Microsoft Azure SQL, you get a unified experience across your entire SQL portfolio and a full range of deployment options, from edge to cloud. Intelligent and secure Azure SQL database services make it easy to:
- Migrate your SQL workloads with SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines.
- Modernize your existing applications with Azure SQL Managed Instance.
- Support modern cloud applications with Azure SQL Database.
- Use your existing SQL skills in the cloud on the same SQL Server engine.
- Keep making the most of your current license investments.
If you would like more information on Microsoft Azure SQL, fill out the form on this page and one of our Microsoft Azure specialists will get back with you to discuss your options and how Microsoft Azure SQL can enhance your business operations and improve your bottom line.