Microsoft Azure SQL Database Reviews

We primarily use Microsoft Azure SQL Database for application databases for web applications and sometimes native iOS and Android platforms. We also employ it for the backend and analytics, often migrating data over to Fabric and One Lake for Power BI analytics.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database is quite impactful as we use it for most projects. 

I like that Microsoft Azure SQL Database is almost identical to an on-premise SQL Server except for a few things, like how you edit rows and some jobs that you can't run. It has some useful features and integrations, like Microsoft Fabric.

They could improve Azure SQL by adding some of the features available on-prem, such as cross-database queries and the ability to run particular jobs. We need to migrate those to something else, like a function or logic app. 

Data transformation units are also confusing to sell to our clients because they're these weird, nebulous things. Do you need five or 50? 

I have been using Microsoft Azure SQL Database since it first started in 2009.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database does not seem to have any significant latency issues and handles millions of rows well.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database scales well, allowing us to increase our compute level or add more instances as required.

The learning resources and documentation provided by Microsoft are very helpful. There are many free learning segments and videos available to guide users through various aspects of Azure SQL Database.

I worked with SQL Server since version 6.5 in the late nineties and have continued to use it through various versions. I have also used other database platforms like ADB and MongoDB, but I prefer SQL Server due to its superior tools and features. I've used Cosmos DB for a few things, and we use Azure AI Search, a cognitive search pronounced by a different name. So use that, you know, Azure AI services. 

Azure SQL and Cosmos DB are our main solutions unless the client wants to use Oracle, Postgres, or MySQL. We will use whatever they want to use. On the analytics side, we use Fabric and One Lake, and we do the analytics of Power BI.

If we use a smaller or free-sized Microsoft Azure SQL Database, it is extremely cost-effective and much cheaper than on-premise enterprise licenses, which are expensive.

Other database solutions I have used include Cosmos DB for certain AI applications, as well as Oracle, Postgres, and MySQL when clients prefer those solutions.

I started working with SQL at SQL Server six point five in the late nineties. So, I mean, I went to SQL seven, two thousand, and then, you know, just been using it ever since. I've used other platforms, like I said, with ADB and, like, even with MongoDB and DevOps. It's just kinda my favorite one. I like the tools the best. Yeah. Seeking Server Management Studio is probably the best IDE out there for databases. All the other ones, are a little bit slow and clunky. Okay. So

I would rate Microsoft Azure SQL Database a nine out of 10.

We primarily use SQL on Azure for reporting and incident situation awareness around our area. It's utilized for public information dissemination regarding different safety programs, ensuring nothing too complicated or in-depth.

Azure SQL is easy to integrate and simplifies things from a licensing perspective. We're comfortable with SQL versus other types of databases, so we feel better talking to Microsoft.

Reporting and incident situation awareness around our area and just reporting public information. The database seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft applications like SharePoint Online, PowerApps, and PowerFlow. We don't have to worry about maintenance, such as patching the servers. Leveraging other Microsoft technologies outside of our network is a lot easier.

It's a lot easier to create databases. There are some limitations in terms of permissions, but you can create databases by clicking a few buttons. You only need to provide the user authentication, and that's it.

Adding users to Azure SQL could be easier. You need to script it out, but it would be nice if it had a UI where you can click and add them. It's not a major thing because we script things all the time, but it would be a minor thing that helps us.

I have been using SQL on Azure for about ten years.

I haven't encountered any real latency issues. Our internal database is heavily utilized, but externally on the Azure SQL, we don’t push it to its limit.

Based on our limited use cases, Azure SQL appears highly scalable without any issues.

It's really a non-factor at this point, as we are comfortable with the system's ease of use.

Positive

I've used MySQL and other databases before, but our organization decided to go with Microsoft, and it felt natural due to my background as a .NET developer.

The initial setup was straightforward, and the integration process has become much easier over time.

I rate Microsoft Azure SQL Database nine out of 10. 

Our primary use case for Microsoft Azure SQL Database is to bring up our products and run them on Azure as we have our own TCX products. We have been using AWS in the back end, but we are now expanding to Microsoft Azure.

The native SQL runs great on Microsoft, and the integration with Microsoft applications like Office makes it seamless.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database significantly reduces our operational overhead, freeing us from backup worries and allowing us to focus on other priorities. Additionally, SQL Managed Instance provides clear usage visibility and enables on-demand scaling to meet our evolving needs.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database is our go-to database for our products, such as SQL or Oracle. The usability, ease of use, and fine-tuning are beneficial, especially for our IO-intensive application. It empowers us by running our availability through the product side.

Provisioning the instance, connecting to it, and deploying full-stack applications end-to-end on Azure is much easier than AWS. 

Azure SQL provides built-in security and useful troubleshooting tools for identifying and taking action whenever issues arise.

We need improvement in the latency between availability zones. The managed SQL MI does not allow us to control the zone it runs in, which affects latency. It's crucial for us that customers should not be concerned about which availability zone it's running as long as the response time and latency are consistent.

I've been using Microsoft Azure SQL Database for approximately three months.

We experience some latency issues.

We are working on a scalability performance test for SQL MI and comparing it with AWS.

We are expanding our cloud infrastructure from AWS to include Microsoft Azure. Azure's managed database services eliminate the operational overhead of running our own database, allowing us to quickly deploy and connect to pre-configured instances without manual tuning or backups.

The setup is straightforward, being a managed service, so operational overhead is minimized.

We anticipate seeing savings as we start using Microsoft Azure SQL more extensively.

I would rate Microsoft Azure SQL Database eight out of ten. Our experience has been good overall, except for the latency issue. If latency issues are resolved in future releases, I would rate it higher.

Microsoft's expertise in SQL Server is a significant advantage. Their resources are beneficial, and a primary reason for choosing SQL MI is the reduced operational overhead. By eliminating the need for a dedicated database administration team, we can avoid the costs and complexities associated with managing and distributing the database. This is a crucial factor in our decision-making process.

We use nearly all of Azure's services, including virtual machines, application gateways, firewalls, load balancers, and SQL Managed Instances. Our projects involve a comprehensive engagement with the Azure platform.

The only use case I have for the Microsoft Azure SQL Database is this data lake. The client decided that they want to concentrate all integrations between systems on the Azure SQL Server on the cloud to just be the repository of the interface. Every system that needs to transfer data from each other puts the information on the data lake on the SQL Server, and the other system gets it from there. I believe that's not a good solution, but the client wants to do it this way.

The Microsoft Azure SQL Database performs effectively, and if money is not a problem, you can scale. It can grow, and with a click of a button, you can add more memory and more CPU. This is a good feature if you need it and if you have the resources to invest in these capabilities.

The initial setup for the Microsoft Azure SQL Database is straightforward, as with all Microsoft tools. It's usually easy to set up and get running. Management is consistent, which is beneficial. You can manage your Azure instance with the same tools, Management Studio, from your computer. You can treat it as a box in your house.

I have used the Microsoft Azure SQL Database for two years now, and I don't find it satisfactory. It's slow and expensive.

The Microsoft Azure SQL Database is not the latest version of Microsoft SQL Server. I believe it's a really old engine that does not have the newest features. It's very slow and too expensive. I really don't think it's a good solution for most cases, except when you specifically need to put your data on the cloud.

Regarding stability, the Microsoft Azure SQL Database is very stable, but I noticed very poor performance. My client bought a specific configuration with some memory and two cores only. This configuration performs very badly compared to the same situation on-premises. Even if I put my SQL Server on an old machine, I will get better performance from the hardware on-premises.

There are problems with connection, and I believe most clients would be better served by a database on-premises. There is also an issue with extracting data - you cannot do a backup and dump the database to your local network. You need to rely on Microsoft backups to restore your data and pay for it. I really think that the data belongs to the client, and the client should always have the ability to download their data.

I have used the Microsoft Azure SQL Database for two years now, and I don't find it satisfactory.

The pricing for the Microsoft Azure SQL Database is expensive, though I don't have the current numbers as I saw these figures more than a year ago when preparing the environment. The client is already planning to move back on-premises because it is not working well in terms of performance. Now that we are starting to move big volumes of data, the system starts to slow down. Queries are slow, and the performance is now impacting the application.

I would rate the Microsoft support for this product as poor because we did not use it. The client just pays for the storage. We have some kind of built-in support, but we never used it as we try to figure things out by ourselves. In Brazil, this is a little bit more complicated. They have used the support from Microsoft for other products. They have Microsoft Windows 365 and volume licensing with Microsoft. They use their support, and I know that it works. On the database part, I didn't use it.

In general, I would give Microsoft support a rating of six out of ten.

The initial setup for the Microsoft Azure SQL Database is straightforward as with all Microsoft tools. It's usually easy to set up and get running. Management is consistent, and you can manage your Azure instance with the same tools, Management Studio, from your computer.

My client does not use Amazon services at all, including the Azure Data Box.

I am not familiar with just the Data Lake Storage because we are just using the SQL Server database, not the other products that are supposed to be dedicated to this kind of use of a data lake.

The Microsoft Azure SQL Database is not the latest version of Microsoft SQL Server. It's a really old engine that does not have the newest features. It's very slow and too expensive. I really don't think it's a good solution for most cases, except when you specifically need to put your data on the cloud.

The client is already planning to move back on-premises because it is not working well in terms of performance. Now that we are starting to move big volumes of data, the system starts to slow down. Queries are slow, and the performance is impacting the application.

On a scale of one to ten, I rate this solution a six.

We utilize Microsoft Azure SQL Database for tool and AI analysis on the backend. Its primary function is to analyze backend processes and key performance indicators.

Using Microsoft Azure SQL Database is not difficult.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database has the potential to empower next-generation AI applications, as it has the necessary built-in capabilities. However, cost remains a significant barrier to its widespread adoption for such purposes.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database offers excellent integration with other Microsoft applications.

The most valuable aspect of Microsoft Azure SQL Database is its accessibility. Its global reach makes it far superior to on-premises servers, as worldwide access is significantly easier to manage than navigating on-site security protocols.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database would benefit from enhanced documentation, along with ongoing improvements to scalability and cost-effectiveness.

I have been using Microsoft Azure SQL Database for three years in production and three years in development before that.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database latency is good as long as we set it up right.

We don't have a restriction on scaling. Microsoft Azure SQL Database is cloud-based, so it's great for scaling workloads.

Neutral

We previously utilized an on-premises solution, but the robust security features and seamless integrations offered by Azure SQL Database influenced our decision to migrate.

The deployment was straightforward, with the only challenge being the initial complexity of the documentation, which we overcame by locating additional resources.

I would rate Microsoft Azure SQL Database seven out of ten.

I work in data transformation, so I focus on doing queries and cleaning up data before sending it to the visualization team.

Integrating AI into our call databases in Azure sparked a significant revolution in what we could achieve. They have AI integrated with Fabric, which was interesting. All the databases now have AI. At first, realizing how AI fits in was challenging because it's only a database. It has data that you can use for artificial intelligence.

We have used SQL for a long time. Azure SQL has helped teams across the organization to use SQL's full potential. I can't say what the cost savings were precisely, but I believe it has reduced the total cost of ownership. 

Microsoft Azure SQL Database is incredibly user-friendly, especially for beginner and intermediate developers. If you have someone who can help you with the tricky stuff, it's simple. On my first day on the job, I thought initializing the SQL databases would be complicated, but when I dove into SQL and learned how to interact with the database, it was straightforward. 

Azure SQL's integration with other Microsoft applications has been a lifesaver. You can use Azure for many things, mainly for running applications. The fact that you can integrate it with all their components in Azure is excellent. 

One area for improvement could be expanding the search queries using vectors or AI inside the database. After seeing its potential in a workshop, I realized the usefulness of more advanced search queries with AI.

Microsoft Azure SQL Database is fast and efficient, offering a significant improvement over other databases.

I haven't worked much with workloads, but it appears satisfactory.

My experience includes working with both on-premises databases and AWS databases. We favor Azure because of its simplicity and the user-friendliness of its portal. Microsoft's expertise was also critical because you need to know how to choose between all of the databases that Azure offers, so you'll realize the full potential and make the client happier.

Setting up SQL databases in Azure was initially intimidating, but it turned out to be straightforward and user-friendly.

I rate Microsoft Azure SQL Database 10 out of 10. 

Scalability is a feature associated with SQL Azure. The primary use cases of the tool are for the retail sector where there are transactions, specifically high peak transactions during Black Friday or month ends, where people go on a spending spree after their salaries get credited to their bank accounts. Different sets of transactions have a few peaks during the month, especially during festivals or marketing events. When it comes to transactions in the retail sector, there can also be low peaks during the middle of the month. To address the high and low peaks in transactions, SQL Azure has a feature that can scale automatically to support a period involving a high level of transactions. Similarly, SQL Azure can automatically scale down to support fewer transactions. Whenever SQL Azure scales up, you need to pay the additional or premium fees associated with the extra use due after the product scales up. When the tool scales down, the cost reduces automatically, and you only pay according to your subscription.

The most valuable part of the solution stems from its scalability and its functionalities, which support high availability and are directly available as an out-of-the-box tool for users, ensuring that it provides you with business continuity features. I like the product's direct out-of-the-box features, which you don't have to go out and configure separately. In the product, you need to place a tick mark so that the solution can automatically take care of the configuration part for you. The intelligence part is pretty much built into the tool. You just have to go and enable specific settings, which automatically make those features available to you.

There are certain shortcomings when it comes to the stability of the product, especially if I consider the fact that there can always be some bug-related issues in the tool. The aforementioned area can be considered for improvement in the product.

I am sure that the tool does all sorts of quality checks before releasing the product in the market, but there are thousands of different environments today where users use the solution for their own purposes and customize it to fit their business requirements. In some cases, there may be some bugs that users need to fix, and many of them might even fix it as well. As SQL Azure is available as a cloud-based tool, it helps to maintain uniformity in the environment, so the number of issues is reduced significantly.

I have been using SQL Azure for 5 years. I use SQL Azure 2022, which is the solution's latest version.

The solution provides clear SLAs on paper, so I am sure that it is a very stable product. It also comes across as a secure product.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

It is a scalable solution.

My company deals with more than 7,000 customers who use the product.

The solution's technical support is knowledgeable and fast. The product offers clear documentation that explains how to reach out to the technical support team over the phone. Users can also chat with the product support team or Microsoft Teams and get help with any troubleshooting procedures. Users can reach out to the support team via email. The tool's technical team is very supportive.

The product's initial setup phase is very easy.

The product's setup phase can be completed in a couple of clicks.

The solution is deployed using Azure's cloud services.

During the first year of use, SQL Azure's ROI is around 30 to 40 percent. In the subsequent years of its use, the ROI will increase.

The price of the product depends on what you need in the tool. You can use it for smaller instances and pay less. You can also go for the premium product with all the security, scalability, and business continuity features, but you have to pay a premium amount. The tool offers different versions on the cloud. Similarly, SQL Azure also has offerings in the form of a web-based version of SQL database for very small customers who want to do PoC involving the solution in their environment, but it is available only in an on-premises version. The tool offers different pricing structures depending on the requirements of users. SQL Azure also has a freeware software version available for very small-sized customers.

Data warehouse and analytics are completely different concepts when it comes to SQL Azure. SQL Azure is not used for data warehousing. Data warehousing is used specifically in Azure, which consists of multiple tools that will use it. The data warehousing part may be associated with SQL Server Database Engine, but it is not used in SQL.

The product offers built-in high-availability features. I can design the product to support the business-critical requirements depending upon my business requirements. The product has features available or built into the tool, which I can use to achieve what I need.

The product has very strong integration features, especially considering that it can integrate with Azure Key Management or Azure Key Vault. SQL Azure can integrate with the security features within Azure, such as Microsoft Sentinel. SQL Azure can integrate with Azure Monitor. SQL Azure can integrate with Microsoft Defender. SQL Azure has ready-made integrations with all Azure products and all of the enterprise-grade products in the market.

When it comes to the product's security features, I would say that Microsoft releases patches on a monthly basis. Whenever a critical update is available, Microsoft informs our company about it. In some cases, Microsoft goes ahead and deploys the security updates directly, ensuring that users are always in a fully secured environment. The tool also has a clear structure of various regulatory and governance features, like PCI DSS, SOX, or HIPAA. Microsoft also certifies its products to support the aforementioned security regulatory and security compliances.

Speaking about how the transition from the on-premises version of SQL Azure impacts a company's operational cost, I feel that it will reduce the overall cost for a user over a period of time. There might be a transformation cost to migrate from- the on-premises version to the cloud, but once it is moved to the cloud, you will see that the month-on-month price will automatically reduce or at least stay stable and won't increase for a period of time.

I recommend the product to others, considering the fact that it is a stable and reliable solution with different price points and licensing models. As a customer, you have choices in picking what you want. The product also offers an option to scale up or scale down when you face struggles in your business.

I rate the tool a nine out of ten.

We use the product to extract data and present it for warehouse reporting.

The platform provides valuable scalability, stability, and robustness benefits.

The product's pricing needs improvement.

We have been using SQL Azure for 3 years.

I rate the platform's stability an 8 out of 10.

I rate the platform's scalability as 10 out of 10.

The initial setup can be straightforward if you properly configure the product and utilize scripts effectively. Once the script is ready for cloud deployment, executing it is next. The solutions architect sets up the basic infrastructure using infrastructure as code principles. It involves carefully selecting resources, such as VMs and app services, and configuring them according to your requirements. Additionally, one needs to manage security aspects like opening and closing firewalls, which can introduce complexities to the setup process.

I recommend considering a pay-as-you-go pricing model initially.

The automated scalability feature of SQL Azure has proven to be highly beneficial, particularly when deployed in the cloud. It can be done remotely, eliminating the need for manual intervention. However, it may become more challenging if the infrastructure reaches its limits, especially in vertical scaling scenarios.

Whether opting for AWS or Azure, the service offers guaranteed uptime, often around 99.9%. Additionally, it supports deployment across multiple zones and regions.

The transition from on-premises to SQL Azure can impact operational costs depending on the setup. It offers options like pay-as-you-use or dedicated services running 24/7. However, it's essential to evaluate your business case thoroughly before deciding.

I rate it an 8 out of 10.

I work for a service-based company that helps businesses migrate their applications to the cloud. So, we're implementers. We help with the migration process. 

We primarily use Azure SQL when migrating data from legacy systems to the cloud based on customer preferences. If customers are looking for an Azure solution, we often recommend a Dedicated SQL pool based on their specific requirements. This allows them to store their data in cloud storage services and access it easily through the database.

Specifically for Azure SQL, I appreciate the detailed information available for different formats and the high data availability.

The data availability and speed are impressive, especially compared to legacy systems. The loading speeds are much faster on Azure SQL.

And for other Azure databases like Snowflake, the various features are helpful for development and testing. They allow us to create environments easily and with minimal cost, while maintaining high availability.

The user interface (UI) could be more flexible. It's not that the data access or storage format is bad, but the UI feels clunky and isn't up to par with other tools.

I've been using Azure SQL and Synapse for the past two years. It's also known as a dedicated SQL pool. That's the one we're using for data warehouse support.

For the past two years, I've been using both Azure Synapse Analytics and Dedicated SQL pool, writing code, and utilizing other Azure services. But these two are the ones primarily related to data warehouses and databases.

Stability is high. We haven't faced any outages or downtime during my time using it. So, I'd give it a nine out of ten for stability.

We did have some issues with data backups. Unlike traditional systems where backups were routine, with SQL Azure, managing data backups became an additional task. So, there have been issues with replication. But apart from that, scalability has been good.

I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. We have enterprise businesses as our clients. 

I also use Snowflake, which is an individual cloud database. I have experience with other cloud data warehouses like Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, and SQL databases. I use Synapse and upload SQL code to it.

I would rate my initial setup a nine out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy. So, the setup is easy. 

Deployment took an hour. 

My clients have seen an ROI.

Compared to other providers, it's definitely on the affordable side. 

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

Our company uses the solution for on-premises production and PR. We sync data from the database service to our on-premises SQL server. 

The SQL connector effectively syncs data to our database. 

The default 1433 port for communication should be customizable because most hacks or attacks are attempted when creating any application or database on the default port. The solution should allow use of any custom port. 

I have been using the solution for more than three years. 

I also used the solution and handled its administration at my previous job with a government entity.

The setup is straightforward so is rated an eight out of ten. 

We implement the solution in-house. 

I rate the solution a nine out of ten.