Applies to:
SQL Server on Azure VM
This text gives an outline of SQL Server on Azure Digital Machines (VMs) on the Home windows platform.
Should you’re new to SQL Server on Azure VMs, take a look at the SQL Server on Azure VM Overview video from our in-depth Azure SQL video series:
Overview
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines lets you use full variations of SQL Server within the cloud with out having to handle any on-premises {hardware}. SQL Server digital machines (VMs) additionally simplify licensing prices whenever you pay as you go.
Azure digital machines run in many various geographic regions around the globe. In addition they provide numerous machine sizes. The digital machine picture gallery lets you create a SQL Server VM with the precise model, version, and working system. This makes digital machines an excellent possibility for a lot of totally different SQL Server workloads.
Characteristic advantages
While you register your SQL Server on Azure VM with the SQL IaaS Agent extension you unlock a lot of characteristic advantages. Registering with the extension is totally free.
The next desk particulars the advantages unlocked by the extension:
Characteristic | Description |
---|---|
Azure portal administration | Unlocks management in the portal, as a way to view your entire SQL Server VMs in a single place, and allow or disable SQL particular options straight from the portal.
Included with fundamental registration. |
Automated backup | Automates the scheduling of backups for all databases for both the default occasion or a properly installed named instance of SQL Server on the VM. For extra data, see Automated backup for SQL Server in Azure virtual machines (Resource Manager).
Requires SQL IaaS Agent extension. |
Automated patching | Mechanically set up Home windows and SQL Server safety updates (together with Cumulative Updates for SQL Server) to your digital machine throughout a configured upkeep window to keep away from updating throughout peak instances to your workload. For extra data, see Automatic patching through Azure Update Manager.
Requires SQL IaaS Agent extension. |
Azure Key Vault integration | Allows you to robotically set up and configure Azure Key Vault in your SQL Server VM. For extra data, see Configure Azure Key Vault integration for SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (Resource Manager).
Requires SQL IaaS Agent extension. |
Configure tempdb | You’ll be able to configure your tempdb straight from the Azure portal, equivalent to specifying the variety of information, their preliminary measurement, their location, and the autogrowth ratio. Restart your SQL Server service for the modifications to take impact.
Requires SQL IaaS Agent extension. |
Defender for Cloud portal integration | Should you’ve enabled Microsoft Defender for SQL, then you possibly can view Defender for Cloud suggestions straight within the SQL virtual machines useful resource of the Azure portal. See Security best practices to study extra.
Requires SQL IaaS Agent extension. |
Prolonged safety updates | Mechanically obtain safety updates to your SQL Server on Azure VMs, as much as three years after prolonged SQL Server lifecycle support ends. |
Versatile licensing | Save on price by seamlessly transitioning from the bring-your-own-license (often known as the Azure Hybrid Profit) to the pay-as-you-go licensing mannequin and again once more.
Included with fundamental registration. |
Versatile model / version | Should you determine to vary the version or edition of SQL Server, you possibly can replace the metadata throughout the Azure portal with out having to redeploy your complete SQL Server VM.
Included with fundamental registration. |
I/O Evaluation | View an analysis of your I/O performance within the Azure portal to seek out points that outcome from exceeding digital machines and knowledge disks limits. This characteristic is at present in preview.
Requires SQL IaaS Agent extension. |
Microsoft Entra authentication | Improve the safety of your SQL Server VM by utilizing Microsoft Entra ID for authentication to your SQL Server VM.
Requires SQL IaaS Agent extension. |
SQL finest practices evaluation | Allows you to assess the well being of your SQL Server VMs by utilizing configuration finest practices. For extra data, see SQL best practices assessment.
Requires SQL IaaS Agent extension. |
View disk utilization in portal | Permits you to view a graphical illustration of the disk utilization of your SQL knowledge information within the Azure portal.
Requires SQL IaaS Agent extension. |
Getting began
To get began with SQL Server on Azure VMs, evaluate the next assets:
- Create SQL VM: To create your SQL Server on Azure VM, evaluate the Quickstarts utilizing the Azure portal, Azure PowerShell or an ARM template. For extra thorough steerage, evaluate the Provisioning guide.
- Connect with SQL VM: To hook up with your SQL Server on Azure VMs, evaluate the ways to connect.
- Unlock characteristic advantages: Registering your SQL Server VM with the SQL IaaS Agent extension unlocks a lot of characteristic advantages, equivalent to automated backup and patching.
- Handle SQL VM from the portal: You’ll be able to handle SQL Server settings straight from the Azure portal by utilizing the SQL virtual machines useful resource.
- Optimize efficiency: Use the SQL best practices assessment to validate that you just’re following Best practices and use I/O Performance Analysis (Preview) to research I/O points.
- Migrate knowledge: Migrate your knowledge to SQL Server on Azure VMs from SQL Server, Oracle, or Db2.
- Pricing: For details about the pricing construction of your SQL Server on Azure VM, evaluate the Pricing guidance.
- Ceaselessly requested questions: For generally requested questions, and eventualities, evaluate the FAQ.
Movies
For movies in regards to the newest options to optimize SQL Server VM efficiency and automate administration, evaluate the next Knowledge Uncovered movies:
Excessive availability & catastrophe restoration
On high of the built-in high availability provided by Azure virtual machines, you may as well use the excessive availability and catastrophe restoration options offered by SQL Server.
To study extra, see the overview of Always On availability groups, and Always On failover cluster instances. For extra data, see the business continuity overview.
To get began, see the tutorials for availability groups or preparing your VM for a failover cluster instance.
Licensing
To get began, select a SQL Server digital machine picture together with your required model, version, and working system. The next sections present direct hyperlinks to the Azure portal for the SQL Server digital machine gallery pictures. Change the licensing mannequin of a pay-per-usage SQL Server VM to make use of your personal license. For extra data, see How to change the licensing model for a SQL Server VM.
Azure solely maintains one digital machine picture for every supported working system, model, and version mixture. Which means over time pictures are refreshed, and older pictures are eliminated. For extra data, see the Photographs part of the SQL Server VMs FAQ.
The next desk gives a matrix of pay-as-you-go SQL Server pictures.
Notice
SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 are out of prolonged assist and now not out there from the Azure Market.
To see the out there SQL Server on Linux digital machine pictures, see Overview of SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (Linux).
It is attainable to deploy an older picture of SQL Server that is not out there within the Azure portal by utilizing PowerShell. To view all out there pictures by utilizing PowerShell, use the next command:
$Location = ""
Get-AzVMImageOffer -Location $Location -Writer 'MicrosoftSQLServer'
For extra details about deploying SQL Server VMs utilizing PowerShell, view How to provision SQL Server virtual machines with Azure PowerShell.
Vital
Older pictures is perhaps outdated. Bear in mind to use all SQL Server and Home windows updates earlier than utilizing them for manufacturing.
Buyer expertise enchancment program (CEIP)
The Buyer Expertise Enchancment Program (CEIP) is enabled by default. This periodically sends experiences to Microsoft to assist enhance SQL Server. There is no administration activity required with CEIP until you need to disable it after provisioning. You’ll be able to customise or disable the CEIP by connecting to the VM with distant desktop. Then run the SQL Server Error and Utilization Reporting utility. Observe the directions to disable reporting. For extra details about knowledge assortment, see the SQL Server Privacy Statement.
Since SQL Server on Azure VMs is built-in into the Azure platform, evaluate assets from associated services and products that work together with the SQL Server on Azure VM ecosystem: