SQL Database Overview

Table of Contents

Introduction
Key Features
Pricing
Getting Started
Additional Resources

Introduction

Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service built on Microsoft SQL Server. It provides high performance, scalability, and built‑in intelligence that helps you modernize data‑driven applications.

With automatic patching, backup, and seamless scaling, you can focus on building great applications instead of managing infrastructure.

Key Features

Managed Service: Automatic backups, patching, and updates.
Scalable Compute: Scale up or down on‑demand with no downtime.
Built‑in AI: Adaptive query processing, performance insights, and auto‑tuning.
Security: Always‑encrypted data, advanced threat protection, and compliance certifications.
High Availability: Built‑in geo‑replication and failover groups.

Pricing

Azure SQL Database offers multiple purchasing models to fit any workload:

Model	Description
vCore‑based	Pay for compute and storage separately; ideal for predictable workloads.
DTU‑based	A bundled measure of compute, storage, and I/O; simple for small apps.
Serverless	Auto‑scales compute based on workload; pay per second.

Visit the pricing page for the latest rates and calculators.

Getting Started

Sign in to the Azure portal.
Navigate to Create a resource → Databases → Azure SQL.
Configure the basic settings (subscription, resource group, database name).
Select the desired compute tier (vCore, DTU, or Serverless).
Review and create the database.

For a step‑by‑step tutorial, see the quickstart guide.

Sample Connection String

Server=tcp:your_server_name.database.windows.net,1433;
Initial Catalog=your_database_name;
Persist Security Info=False;
User ID=your_username;
Password=your_password;
MultipleActiveResultSets=False;
Encrypt=True;
TrustServerCertificate=False;
Connection Timeout=30;