SQL Azure now supports Database copy.

This update is part of SQL Azure Service Update 4. Also, this service update includes:

• Development: How-to Topics (SQL Azure Database) on MSDN Development Center.
• Microsoft project Microsoft Project Code-Named “Houston” (Houston), a light weight web-based database management tool for SQL Azure.

Database copy allows you to make a real-time complete snapshot of your database into a different server in the data center. This new copy feature is the first step in backup support for SQL Azure, allowing you to get a complete backup of any SQL Azure database before making schema or database changes to the source database.

Tags: SQL Azure

SQL Azure news were announced today at TechED North America.

Microsoft announced it will offer spatial data support and access to 50GB of SQL Azure Database capacity allowing for higher scalability, flexibility and easier management of applications and services. Further enhancements to management capabilities include the public preview of SQL Azure Data Sync Service, which provides more flexible control over where and how data is distributed and synced across multiple datacenters, and Microsoft SQL Server Web Manager, a lightweight and easy to use tool to help develop, deploy, and manage data-driven applications on the cloud.

Tags: SQL Azure

Many times I am asked “When I reach the allocated level (1 GB or 10 GB) in SQL Azure, what happens?”

The answer: only SELECTs and DELETEs will be supported. UPDATEs and INSERTs will throw an error.

Any workaround? yes.

Because of above size constraints, one of the recommendations is to partition the data across databases. Creating multiple databases will allow you take maximum advantage of the computing power of multiple nodes. The biggest value in the Azure model is the elasticity of being able to create as many databases as you need, when your demand peaks and delete/drop the databases as your demand subsides.

Tags: SQL Azure

"Wait – this car tweets? "  Yes – and checks in on FourSquare, plus a lot more! 

As part of a program called American Journey 2.0, Ford and Microsoft ran a course at the University of Michigan this Spring that taught students to build apps on the Fiestaware platform.  The platform itself — called "Fiestaware" — is built on top of Windows 7 and Robotics Developer Studio, and includes components optimized to work with Windows Azure.  Ford, Microsoft, and UofM are showed the Fiestaware application platform at Maker Faire weekend (May 22-23rd) in San Mateo, CA, running inside of two Ford Fiestas, along with apps built on the platform by Ford and by students at the University of Michigan. 

Microsoft Technology Components for the "Fiestaware" platform used in the Ford Fiesta as part of American Journey 2.0:

• Provides new capabilities for application developers to build compelling, safe, and natural user experiences that span from the embedded vehicle network to the cloud
• Fiestaware platform technology components:
  • Built on Windows 7
  • Supports natural user interfaces, such as touch and speech interaction
  • User interface is built with .NET (Windows Presentation Foundation)
  • Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio used to manage access and coordinate use of resources on the embedded vehicle network (e.g., vehicle sensor data) and in Windows 7 (e.g., Windows 7 Speech API).
  • Platform supports using SQL CE on the PC in the vehicle to cache/synchronize with SQL Azure in order to handle intermittent connectivity gracefully
  • Application development environment is Visual Studio 2008 with Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio
• Ford, with assistance from Microsoft and our partner Cumulux, have built a set of customer Distributed System Services with Robotics Development Studio that pull these Microsoft platform technologies into a specialized automotive computing application platform.  The net effect is to make 3rd party application development for the in-vehicle environment dramatically more accessible to the vast pool of application developers in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Why did Ford choose Windows 7 for this program instead of Windows Embedded?   Ford carefully evaluated whether to use Windows 7 or Windows Embedded Standard 7 for the Fiestaware platform, and selected Windows 7 to ensure that both the platform and communications about the platform would come across as accessible as possible to a broad audience of automotive and technology enthusiasts.  Ford recognizes that Windows Embedded Standard 7 offers features and capabilities that would be very valuable in a supported production deployment. 

Additional Resources:

• Official University of Michigan course link: http://pervasive.eecs.umich.edu/498poster.pdf
• John Mullinax’s Blog w/ continuing coverage: http://blogs.msdn.com/johnmullinax/archive/tags/American+Journey+2.0/default.aspx
• ReadWriteWeb Coverage: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/apps_on_wheels_making_the_internet_work_at_70mph.php#_login
• MIT Technology Review: http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/24824/page1/
• DailyTech: http://www.dailytech.com/Ford+Takes+American+Journey+to+Promote+2011+Fiesta+Windows+Apps/article18410c.htm
• Mashable: http://mashable.com/2010/05/12/ford-fiesta-american-journey/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29
• CNET: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-20004062-76.html?tag=mncol

Tags: Robotics, SQL Azure, Windows 7, Windows Azure

Many customers are asking about migration from SQL to SQL Azure. This post will describe the considerations you have to take and the migration process.

First of all, be familiar with SQL Azure limitations:

• Transact-SQL Reference (SQL Azure Database): http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee336281.aspx
• Guidelines and Limitations (SQL Azure Database): http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee336245.aspx

SQL Azure does not run in backward compatibility mode (SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005). It is running compatibility mode 10 (SQL Server 2008).  Thus, all deprecated SQL Server 2000 and 2005 features will not work in SQL Azure (for the most part, there might be a few exceptions). 

If you work with SQL 2000/2005, first upgrade it to 2008 or SQL 2008 Express and get everything working there first. Then go through the migration process to SQL Azure.

Note that there are TSQL commands that are not supported by SQL Azure. There is a tool (SQLAzureMW) in codeplex (http://sqlazuremw.codeplex.com) that will analyze your database and also analyze SQL Profiler trace files (to cover your dynamic generated SQL) and tell you what is not compatible.  From there, you have a great start on figuring out what you need to do in order to get your database in SQL Azure.  Once your database is compatible, you can also use SQLAzureMW to actually migrate your database for you to SQL Azure. (SQLAzureMW requires SQL Server 2008 R2 CTP).

My recommendation is to start with SQLAzureMW and let it give you a rough idea of how much work you will need to do.  Then you can decide if you need to go through the upgrade process to SQL Server 2008 first before you go to SQL Azure.

Have fun!

Tags: SQL Azure, Windows Azure