SQL Azure

Originally known as SQL Data Services, SQL Azure for many people is the most exciting item on the Microsoft Azure menu.

SQL Azure is an almost feature complete implementation of SQL Server 2008 Geographic data types are now supported. Unlike Table Storage, SQL Azure is completely relational, with a defined schema, supports T-SQL, and we can connect via ADO.NET or ODBC.

We can manage our SQL Azure databases through the SQL Azure Portal, directly via sqlcmd, or through SQL Server Management Studio 2008 R2. At the time of writing, SQL Server 2008 R2 is the most recent release of SQL Server, and is the only SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) version that can completely connect to SQL Azure. Microsoft provides a SQL Azure Database Manager (formerly known as Project Houston), an online tool that is used to manage SQL Azure databases. There are also a couple of third-party tools, such as SQL Azure Manager and the Omega Web Client, for managing SQL Azure. Undoubtedly, more tools will...