My Session: Using Azure SQL Database for Enterprise Needs

On 10/6/2015, I presented on Azure SQL Database at TechFuse Minnesota. Some of the highlights from the session included a comparison of the various SQL Server offerings and how Azure SQL Database fits into the overall picture. During the session we also discussed the importance of V12 and elastic databases (still in preview) for the enterprise environment. I was also raised and discussed the cloudy concerns including data safety, data compliance, data privacy and business continuity. With the ongoing changes Microsoft makes in this space, expect more changes to come. However, even today you can be successful using Azure SQL Database for your enterprise needs.

The presentation can be found in PDF format here.

Microsoft has a wealth of documentation which can be found here: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/services/sql-database/.

Questions from the Session

How are upgrades handled in Azure SQL Database?

Most upgrades to Azure SQL Database are seamless to us. However, they have made changes over the years which have required some intervention. One such change was the move from Web and Business Service Tiers to Basic, Standard, and Premium. In this case Microsoft provided a lot of guidance around the process and it was very easy to do in most cases. The most recent instance was the move to V12. Once again Microsoft provided the upgrade path in documentation. Both upgrades could be handled in the portal. However, V12 was a significant change so groups needed to do more testing prior to an upgrade.

Microsoft’s Azure upgrades for Azure SQL Database over the past couple of years: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/?service=sql-database.

Can we use Point in Time Restore to recover a table or to recover to a new database?

Point in Time Restore allows us to recover databases to specific points in time. Each service tier has different amounts they retain: Basic-7 days, Standard-14 days; Premium-35 days. Azure SQL Database always recovers the database to a new database. This means you can either “swap” the database once it is recovered or move the items you need to recover from the new database. One word of caution, you need to have the DTU capability to run both databases on the server to support the restore capability. Be sure to plan the recovery process and clean up when you have completed your recovery.

Thanks again to everyone who could attend this year.

Until the next session …