SQL Database as a Service in Azure

Introduction –SQL Database as a Service in Azure

Summary:

This blog is based on a feature in Azure that is SQL Database which is used as a service. It is a good service for the management of SQL Database from a minimal up to the huge database sizes and near zero administration. The prerequisite and how to use this service is mentioned below in explanation section.

Explanation:

As we login to Azure portal and on the left hand side on the options (as in picture above) we can get this SQL Databases which we can use as a service. I have already stated in my previous blog that we can manage SQL database via two options.

1. SQL Database in Azure
2. SQL Server in virtual machine

Here I’ll talk about only SQL Database as a service in Azure. SQL Database provides many attractive features such as elastic scale, predictable performance, business continuity, near zero maintenance etc.  We need to keep in our mind that we are using this as a service so there would be no physical server which we need to manage. Almost all the administration would be handled by Azure itself.

SQL database is available in two different models –

1. Elastic Database pools
2. Single Database

The key feature of elastic pool model is the ability to share performance across many databases in pool.  Single database might be more appropriate in case of if we are having handful of databases. Both models allows us to adjust performance as necessary with no downtime and provide 99.99% SLA (service level agreement).

Elastic database pools and single database, both models are available in three different service tiers as shown in picture above.

a. Basic      b. Standard         c. Premium 

Here performance is expressed in DTU i.e. Data Throughput Unit within these service tiers. Standard and premium tiers also have been further categorized as (S0, S1, S2, S3) and Premium as (P1, P2, P4, P6, P11). We can start with basic service tier and then can switch to any tiers depending on the usage and performance of the application. To switch to any tier is an online operation and we can use database during that operation.

Conclusion:

So it was the introduction about the SQL database  as a service available in Azure. I have described its benefits, usages, database models & different service tiers etc.

Hope you enjoyed about this new service!

Regards,

Mirza Husain

Note: Next Blog coming soon based on Interview Q&A