SQL Server 2014 And Windows Azure Blob 
SQL Server 2014 and Windows Azure Blob Storage Service: Better Together
SQL Server Technical Article
Summary: SQL Server 2014 introduces significant new features toward a deeper integration with Microsoft Azure, thus unlocking new scenarios and provide more flexibility in the database space for IaaS data models. This technical article will cover in depth SQL Server 2014 Data Files on Azure Blob storage service, starting from step-by-step configuration, then providing guidance on scenarios, benefits and limitations, best practices and lessons learned from early testing and adoption. Additionally, a fully featured example of a new (Windows Server Failover Clustering) - like feature will be introduced to demonstrate the power of Microsoft Azure and SQL Server 2014 when combined together.
Writer: Igor Pagliai, Francesco Cogno
Technical Reviewer: Silvano Coriani, Francesco Diaz, Pradeep M.M, Luigi Delwiche, Ignacio Alonso Portillo
Published: April 2014 (revision 2, June 2014)
Applies to: SQL Server 2014 and Microsoft Azure
Copyright
This document is provided “as-is”. Information and views expressed in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, may change without notice. You bear the risk of using it.
Some examples depicted herein are provided for illustration only and are fictitious. No real association or connection is intended or should be inferred.
This document does not provide you with any legal rights to any intellectual property in any Microsoft product. You may copy and use this document for your internal, reference purposes.
© 2014 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Contents 1
Introduction 5
1. Architecture 6
1.1 SQL Server Data Files in Windows Azure: overview 7
1.2 Tools and interfaces 8
1.3 Limitations 9
1.4 Usage scenarios 10
1.5 Pros and cons 11
2. Configuration 13
2.1 Step-by-step procedure 13
2.2 Best practices 20
2.3 Operations 25
3. Implementing a failover cluster mechanism 27
3.1 Introduction 27
3.2 Shared nothing
SQL Server Technical Article
Summary: SQL Server 2014 introduces significant new features toward a deeper integration with Microsoft Azure, thus unlocking new scenarios and provide more flexibility in the database space for IaaS data models. This technical article will cover in depth SQL Server 2014 Data Files on Azure Blob storage service, starting from step-by-step configuration, then providing guidance on scenarios, benefits and limitations, best practices and lessons learned from early testing and adoption. Additionally, a fully featured example of a new (Windows Server Failover Clustering) - like feature will be introduced to demonstrate the power of Microsoft Azure and SQL Server 2014 when combined together.
Writer: Igor Pagliai, Francesco Cogno
Technical Reviewer: Silvano Coriani, Francesco Diaz, Pradeep M.M, Luigi Delwiche, Ignacio Alonso Portillo
Published: April 2014 (revision 2, June 2014)
Applies to: SQL Server 2014 and Microsoft Azure
Copyright
This document is provided “as-is”. Information and views expressed in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, may change without notice. You bear the risk of using it.
Some examples depicted herein are provided for illustration only and are fictitious. No real association or connection is intended or should be inferred.
This document does not provide you with any legal rights to any intellectual property in any Microsoft product. You may copy and use this document for your internal, reference purposes.
© 2014 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Contents 1
Introduction 5
1. Architecture 6
1.1 SQL Server Data Files in Windows Azure: overview 7
1.2 Tools and interfaces 8
1.3 Limitations 9
1.4 Usage scenarios 10
1.5 Pros and cons 11
2. Configuration 13
2.1 Step-by-step procedure 13
2.2 Best practices 20
2.3 Operations 25
3. Implementing a failover cluster mechanism 27
3.1 Introduction 27
3.2 Shared nothing