What is the difference between SQL Azure and SQL Server 2008?

Question

Hi, now I'm looking on Azure and want to migrate on this one. But I'm not sure that don't get a problems on this way. Could you explain what is the difference? And what I defenetly can't do with SQL Azure?

Answer 1

SQL Azure is a cloud based service:

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.

SQL Server 2008 is server based (local or hosted)

Answer 2

Hi!

This link specifies Transact-SQL constructs that are not supported in Azure, or partially supported:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee336281.aspx

For example, unsupported: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee336253.aspx

Partially supported: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee336267.aspx

Finally, here's a nice reference to deployment: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/developing-and-deploying-with-sql-azure.aspx

If you have a specific question, please ask.

Hope that helps.!