Microsoft has been giving more attention to cloud computing and storage in order to stay competitive in the market. As a result, it has developed many new products for the cloud, including Azure SQL.
Azure SQL is a cloud-based service that is similar to SQL Server, though there are some differences to be aware of. Let’s learn more about Azure SQL and SQL Server and which one is best for your database needs.
Azure SQL vs SQL Server – Similarities and Differences
Since Azure SQL is based on SQL Server, they share many of the same qualities. But they are also very different from one another.
In SQL Server, databases are the only entity on the server. But with Azure SQL, a single physical server can host databases from other customers. This means that Azure SQL shares its physical resources with other clients who use the service.
Here are some important distinctions to be aware of:
- Architecture. Azure SQL has a more complicated architecture, though this is what allows the application to accept connects through the internet, as well as cater to multiple clients. In SQL Server, your application talks directly to your server.
- Database mirroring and failover clustering. Since Azure SQL is built on the Windows Azure platform, it does not support database mirroring or failover clustering. However, the Azure platform has high availability. The Azure platform, in general, is known for its high availability.
- Deployment. Because Azure SQL is not a physical entity, deployment is different. Cloud databases have three entities – subscription, server and database. They also have easy scalability. As your applications grow in size and complexity, Azure SQL will keep up with them.
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So now you know that Azure SQL is a subset of SQL Server. Because of its architecture, it has more limited capabilities. However, it is a great solution for businesses that want a cloud database with high availability, easy management and easy scalability. To learn more about Azure SQL and SQL Server, contact Arkware for a consultation.