Questions about SQL Azure in the cloud

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Questions about SQL Azure in the cloud

Author

Topic

R
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

328 Posts

Posted - 2012-08-17 : 04:58:49

I've been considering moving my database to the cloud, but yesterday read some points that I think make it unsuitable. Could anyone please cast an expert eye on these two questions...?

1) Apparently SQL Azure does not support CLR. Our database has a single CLR UDF for splitting CSV strings into a table variable. This gives us a huge performance boost when used over a native SQL function. I assume therefore that this wouldn't work for us in Azure? What is the reason that CLR is not supported?

2) I also read that Backup/Restore is not supported. Every week we use Backup on our live server to bring a copy of the database down to our development machine, and also to archive it. Is there a simple equivalent way to take a database copy in Azure without creating a fresh live database in the process?

Many thanks.

R
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

328 Posts

Posted - 2012-08-23 : 11:18:55

Questions answered by Microsoft Azure Support team...

1) Azure does not support CLR at present. There is talk they 'might' adopt it based on demand. SQL running on a cloud-based virtual machine will support CLR though.

2) Azure does not support backup/restore but has its own methods:

Copy Database : http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/ff951624.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/ff951631.aspx
Import Export : http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/hh335292.aspx
Import Export Status : http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/hh335290.aspx
Create Database Syntax : http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/ee336274.aspx

Again, SQL running in a virtual machine will full support backup/restore as with the previous versions.

visakh16
Very Important crosS Applying yaK Herder

52326 Posts

Posted - 2012-08-24 : 01:09:28

quote:
Originally posted by R

I've been considering moving my database to the cloud, but yesterday read some points that I think make it unsuitable. Could anyone please cast an expert eye on these two questions...?

1) Apparently SQL Azure does not support CLR. Our database has a single CLR UDF for splitting CSV strings into a table variable. This gives us a huge performance boost when used over a native SQL function. I assume therefore that this wouldn't work for us in Azure? What is the reason that CLR is not supported?

2) I also read that Backup/Restore is not supported. Every week we use Backup on our live server to bring a copy of the database down to our development machine, and also to archive it. Is there a simple equivalent way to take a database copy in Azure without creating a fresh live database in the process?

Many thanks.

you've data sync agent available in sql azure for getting a copy to on premise server db. you can schedule it to happen periodically and it requires a hub server too in cloud

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SQL Server MVP
http://visakhm.blogspot.com/

R
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

328 Posts

Posted - 2012-08-24 : 02:20:26

Hi visakh16

Does data sync agent create a fully working online version? The problem is that we just need a Backup file to restore interally on machine that aren't available to the outside world.

Thanks

visakh16
Very Important crosS Applying yaK Herder

52326 Posts

Posted - 2012-08-24 : 10:29:42

quote:
Originally posted by R

Hi visakh16

Does data sync agent create a fully working online version? The problem is that we just need a Backup file to restore interally on machine that aren't available to the outside world.

Thanks

it does but not like actual backup restore. you need to identify objects to be included in it and based on that it will generate a working set of tables.
its more like replication

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SQL Server MVP
http://visakhm.blogspot.com/

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