Azure SQL
Database is a
relational database (RDBMS) service provided by Microsoft Azure that
is widely used by developers when creating new applications in the cloud. It is
managed completely by Microsoft and is a highly scalable platform-as-a-service
(PaaS) designed especially for cloud applications. Here, we create a managed
database server in the cloud and use the server to deploy our database. The
server is a logical construct that acts as the central administration point for
pooled databases or multiple logins, auditing rules, threat detection policy,
and failover groups.
Microsoft
Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL
Database is a cloud-based service by Microsoft for storing and managing
relational data. It offers a managed environment, handling tasks like backups
and security. Users can create databases, organize data into tables, and run
queries. It provides scalability and accessibility from anywhere with an
internet connection.
What is
Microsoft Azure SQL Database?
The
Microsoft Azure SQL Database is like a digital storage unit for your data, but
it’s in the cloud. It’s managed by Microsoft, so you don’t have to worry about
maintaining servers or backups. You can create databases, organize information
into tables, and run queries to retrieve data. It’s a convenient and scalable
way to store and manage your data online.
The
databases are available as Single databases and elastic pools.
Single
Database: This
option helps the developers instantly get started with a single SQL Server
database by creating and running it in the cloud and accessing this database
through the server. It is a PaaS offering so everything is managed by
Microsoft, so all we have to do is to configure the database, create the
necessary tables required to carry out the operations, and fill in the required
data. We can scale the database as per our requirements (if we need more
storage, memory, and processing power). By default, Microsoft pre-allocates
some resources and we are charged per hour based on the resources we are
using.
We can also
choose to have a server-less configuration. Here, Microsoft creates its own
server for the database, which may get shared among
other Azure subscribers but maintains the privacy of the database of
its users. The database automatically scales and resources are allocated and
unallocated as per the necessary requirements.
Elastic
Pool: It is similar
to single databases that we have talked about above, except that by default
multiple databases can share the same resources (memory, storage space,
processing power) through multiple tenancies. Here the different resources are
referred to as a pool. This model is very useful when we have databases with
resource requirements varying with time as it helps allocate and deallocate the
resources as per our needs thus reducing costs and helping us be quick and
efficient. It enables us to use resources available in the created pool and
then release them once processing is complete.
Azure SQL
vs. SQL Server
Feature |
Azure SQL Database |
SQL Server |
Deployment |
Cloud-based, managed by Microsoft |
Typically on-premises or in private data centers |
Management |
Managed service, Microsoft handles maintenance |
Requires self-management, updates, and backups |
Scalability |
Easily scalable, with options for auto-scaling |
Scalability is limited by hardware and resources |
Availability |
High availability with built-in redundancy |
Availability depends on local infrastructure |
Cost |
Pay-as-you-go pricing model |
Requires upfront investment and ongoing costs |
Maintenance |
Microsoft handles updates, patches, and backups |
Requires manual management and administration |
Security |
Built-in security features, compliance options |
Security configuration managed by the user |
Why Azure
SQL Database?
Azure SQL
database gives us the best option for low-cost development with minimal
administration required to get started with our cloud application design and
development. It supports most of the core database-level capabilities of SQL
servers. However, some of the features dependent on on-premises applications
may not be available here.
The
scalability feature ensures that we can increase the resources available to us
at a given time to carry out our tasks without performing a costly manual
upgrade instantly.
It has an availability of 99.995% as it supports point-in-time restore,
enabling us to recover a database to the state it was in at any point in the
past. It also replicates the databases to different regions to provide us with
more resilience and disaster recovery. It provides us with fully automated
backups, updates, and recovery to ensure that we are always running the latest
and most secure version of the service.
It
continuously monitors our database for suspicious activities and provides
immediate security alerts on SQL injection attacks, potential
vulnerabilities, and anomalous database access patterns. Threat Detection
alerts provide details of the suspicious activity and recommend action on how
to investigate and mitigate the threat.
Some of
the Often Use Cases are as follows,:
- New cloud projects where any
necessary modifications to our apps should be accommodated in the
application design.
- When we want the most recent SQL
Server functionality to be utilized by our cloud apps.
- When we require high
availability for our cloud apps.
- When our cloud apps need to
instantly adjust how resources are allocated in response to demand and
requirements.
SQL Azure
Architecture
There are
four layers in Azure SQL Architecture:
- Client Layer
- Service Layer
- Platform Layer
- Infrastructure Layer

SQL Azure Architecture
Client
Layer: Applications
connect to and communicate with the database service through the client layer
of the Azure SQL Database. It comes with utilities like PHP extensions,
ADO.NET, ODBC, and SQL Server Management Studio. The Tabular Data Stream (TDS)
protocol is a useful tool for transferring data between SQL databases and
applications.
Service
Layer: In Azure SQL
Database, the service layer manages provisioning, billing, and connection
routing in its capacity as a go-between for the client and platform layers. In
order to ensure seamless communication and interaction, it is essential for
validating requests, authenticating users, and creating secure connections
between client applications and database servers. It also oversees the entire
service delivery process, maximizing scalability and performance while
guaranteeing compliance with security and regulatory requirements.
Platform
Layer: Within the
data center, Azure SQL Server computers, sometimes referred to as data nodes,
are hosted by the platform layer of Azure SQL Database. To provide redundancy,
each SQL Database is housed on a node and replicated across many physical
servers. In order to preserve consistency and dependability for stored data,
this layer makes sure that data is synchronized across several copies within
the Azure Cloud.
Infrastructure
Layer: The Azure SQL
Database’s infrastructure layer manages the hardware and operating system below
it, making sure they are properly administered. It is in charge of overseeing
the provisioning, upkeep, and distribution of resources for the hardware that
supports Azure SQL Database. The foundation of the Azure SQL architecture, this
layer offers crucial support for the platform and service layers to operate at
their best.
Azure SQL
Database Features
Azure SQL
Database simplifies database management with features like scalable resources,
built-in high availability, robust security measures, intelligent query
processing, seamless compatibility with SQL Server, and flexible pricing
options tailored to your workload needs.
Azure SQL
Database Tiers
- Basic Tier: Suitable for light workloads
with minimal performance demands.
- Standard Tier: Ideal for moderate workloads,
providing better performance and storage options.
- Premium Tier: Designed for high-performance,
IO-intensive production workloads with high availability and zero
downtime.
- Serverless Compute Tier: Optimizes price-performance
for databases with intermittent, unpredictable usage by auto-scaling
compute and billing per second.
- Hyperscale Tier: Combines compute auto-scaling
with storage auto-scaling up to 100 TB, providing scalability and
performance optimization for large databases.
- General Purpose Tier: Offers balanced and
predictable performance for various workloads, suitable for most
applications.
- Business Critical Tier: Provides high-performance and
high-availability features for mission-critical workloads, ensuring
minimal downtime and data loss.
Azure SQL
Database Services
- Scalability: Easily adjust resources to
match demand, ensuring optimal performance without downtime.
- High Availability: Benefit from built-in
redundancy and automated backups to minimize the risk of data loss.
- Security: Utilize advanced security
features like encryption, threat detection, and access control to
safeguard your data.
- Intelligence: Leverage intelligent query
processing and automated tuning for improved performance and efficiency.
- Compatibility: Seamlessly migrate existing
SQL Server applications with minimal changes, ensuring smooth transition
to the cloud.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Choose from flexible pricing
models to pay for only what you use, optimizing costs for varying
workloads.
- Advanced Analytics: Integrate with Azure services
like Azure Machine Learning and Azure Data Lake Storage for
advanced analytics and insights.
- Developer Productivity: Enjoy features like built-in
monitoring, diagnostics, and management tools to streamline database
administration and development processes.
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