Azure SQL: The best cloud for SQL Server

What is Azure SQL? Azure SQL is a set of options to deploy SQL Server in the cloud including the following:

• SQL Server in Azure Virtual Machine - We handle the host and everything that comes with (storage, networking, ..). You focus on the guest virtual machine OS and full SQL Server setup. You are in Azure so you get fault-tolerance, redundant and performance storage, auto backups, and auto security updates.
• Azure SQL Managed Instance - We take care of the host and virtual machine. You get a SQL instance with a private network plus PaaS capabilities like built-in HADR.
• Azure SQL Database - We take care of the host, virtual network, and instance. You get to focus on the database. You get more options like Hyperscale and Serverless. You get full PaaS capabilities like built-in HADR and Automatic Indexing.

It is the goal of our engineering team to educate and ensure SQL Server users and experts understand what is the same and different about Azure SQL compared to SQL Server. I'm excited to announce the launch of new Azure SQL content designed and built by the engineering team. This is one of the largest education efforts I've ever been involved in. My colleague Anna Hoffman and myself are introducing the following new resources to learn Azure SQL:

Azure SQL fundamentals - https://aka.ms/azuresqlfundamentalsm

This course has fundamentals but so much more. This is a great course using Microsoft Learn if you know SQL Server but have never used Azure SQL. There is plenty of deep technical content in this course. And here is what you will love. There are hands-on labs and you get a free Azure sandbox to use (time boxed) while you try out the exercises.

Azure SQL for beginners - https://aka.ms/azuresql4beginners

Are you someone who likes to learn at your own pace especially by watching small sized videos? This is the place for you. We have built 60+ videos on YouTube that cover all of the Azure SQL content. We use slide decks from our Azure SQL Workshop and do demonstrations that you can try using Azure SQL Fundamentals or the Azure SQL Workshop. We had a great time building these videos and you will see us have some fun along the way!

Azure SQL Bootcamp - https://aka.ms/azuresqlbootcamp

Perhaps you want to learn with some live teaching? Anna and I will use the Azure SQL Fundamentals course materials and teach it to you live in the form of a 4 day boot camp August 17-20th. Register today here.

Azure SQL Workshop - https://aka.ms/sqlworkshops

We actually started this project with open source. Our Azure SQL Workshop has all the teaching materials including slide deck, content, and code for labs in the form of a GitHub repository. Come here for the latest updates to the materials. All of this content is free for you to fork and use as you see fit. Navigate on this main workshop page and look for Workshop: Azure SQL.

All of this content is based on a core set of materials that covers the fundamentals of deploy, configure, security, performance, and availability of Azure SQL. But we will also dive deep into some topics so there is no "fluff" here. In addition, we have some case studies with challenges to see who can come up with the best solution. While these materials are designed to help any SQL professional translate their skills to Azure SQL, those new to SQL will also benefit from this training. In addition, if you want to learn more about migrating from SQL Server to Azure SQL, check out this Microsoft Mechanics video.

Learn more about this exciting new opportunity to learn Azure SQL from our Vice President Gayle Sheppard in her blog post at https://aka.ms/learnazuresql. Stay in touch and tuned in to Data Exposed on Channel 9 to learn more about this training series and to hear from other experts on the Azure SQL team.

In my next post, I'll cover more of the topics you can find with these training materials and a behind the scenes look on "how" and "why" we did this.

Bob Ward

Microsoft Azure Data, Principal Architect