Comparing SQL on Azure
Whether you’re looking to migrate to IaaS or PaaS or deploy on a hybrid platform, Azure SQL has you covered.
Azure SQL offers three core deployment options for moving your SQL Server workloads to the cloud. The following
diagram outlines which option will best meet your needs and summarizes key differences in manageability.
Do you need Do you need
• Full access to Transaction • Capabilities • Event
operating Coordinator? at instance Notifications
and file level?
• PolyBase/File • Transactional
system of a
VM
stream? No • Cross-DB Replication No Are you using just the
transactions?
• SSRS/SSAS? • CLR database engine
• SQL versions
• Linked Integration features of SQL Server?
2008-2019? • Linked server
Server to
to third-party • SQL Agent?
• Microsoft SQL?
DBMS?
Distributed • SSIS?
• Service
Broker
Yes Yes No Yes
SQL Server Azure SQL
on Azure VMs Managed Instance Azure SQL Database
Intelligent performance/security Intelligent performance/security
Applications Applications Applications
Data Data Data
Database Database Database
SQL instance-level features SQL instance-level features
High Availability /DR/ Backups High Availability/ DR/ Backups High Availability/ DR/ Backups
Database provision/ Patch/ Scaling Database provision/ Patch/ Scaling Database provision/ Patch/ Scaling
Operating system Operating system Operating system
Virtualization Virtualization Virtualization
Hardware Hardware Hardware
Datacenter management Datacenter management Datacenter management
Managed by customer Managed by Microsoft Machine learning capability
Comparing features across offerings*
All deployment options are built on the industry-leading SQL Server engine, and accessed through a centralized
management and monitoring portal, but differences in features remain. Learn about the core difference between
specific features below.
Azure SQL
SQL Server Azure SQL
Managed
on Azure VMs Database
Instance
Deployment
Manageability
Security
Business
Continuity
Performance
Comparing features across offerings* - continued
Azure SQL
SQL Server Azure SQL
Managed
on Azure VMs Database
Instance
Programmability
Networking
Analytics
and BI
Storage
limits
SLA
Learn more about Azure SQL at aka.ms/azure_sql
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