Azure Database Services – Microsoft AZ-900 Exam

3.5. Azure Database Services

Azure’s database services are a critical component of the platform’s offerings, allowing customers to leverage the benefits of cloud computing for database management. These services include a wide range of solutions for different database needs, such as relational databases, NoSQL databases, big data, and more. In this comprehensive overview, we will explore the various database services provided by Azure, delve into their features and benefits, and discuss the considerations for their implementation and use. This deep dive into Azure’s database services will be particularly useful for professionals looking to certify in Azure Fundamentals or those responsible for architecting and managing database solutions on Azure.

Azure Relational Database Services

Azure provides several options for relational database management, catering to the needs of applications that require complex transactions, relational queries, and structured data storage.

Azure SQL Database

Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service that offers SQL Server engine compatibility. This Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering automates most of the database management functions such as patching, backups, and monitoring without user intervention.

Key Features:

● Scalability: Automatically scale resources to match your application’s demands.
● High Availability: Built-in high availability with a 99.99% uptime SLA.
● Advanced Security: Features like Advanced Threat Protection and transparent data encryption.
● Automated Backups: Automated backups are taken and retained for up to 35 days.
● Performance Monitoring: Built-in performance monitoring and tuning recommendations.

Azure SQL Managed Instance

Azure SQL Managed Instance is a fully managed SQL Server instance in the cloud. It provides the broadest SQL Server engine compatibility with the benefits of PaaS, including patching, backups, and high availability.

Key Features:

● VNet Integration: Enables secure connections from your VNet.
● SQL Server Compatibility: Offers the highest compatibility with the SQL Server on-premises product.
● Migration Simplicity: Eases the migration from on-premises SQL Servers with minimal code changes.

Azure Database for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MariaDB

Azure offers managed services for popular open-source databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MariaDB. These services are fully managed and integrate well with existing tools and applications.

Key Features:

● Built-in High Availability: No additional configuration, replication, or cost to enable.
● Scalability: The ability to scale compute and storage resources with minimal downtime.
● Security: Built-in security with firewalls, encryption, and access controls.

Azure NoSQL Database Services

NoSQL databases are essential for applications that require large volumes of unstructured data, rapid development, flexible schemas, horizontal scaling, and high performance.

Azure Cosmos DB

Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed, multi-model database service that supports document, key-value, wide-column, and graph databases. It offers single-digit millisecond response times, automatic and instant scalability, and guarantees high availability with multi-region replication.

Key Features:

● Multi-Model Support: Support for multiple data models and APIs including SQL (DocumentDB), Cassandra, MongoDB, etc.
● Global Distribution: Turnkey global distribution across any number of Azure regions.
● Multi-Master Replication: Support for multi-master replication with multiple writable regions.
● Comprehensive SLAs: Service-level agreements that cover throughput, consistency, availability, and latency.

Azure Table Storage

Azure Table Storage is a service that stores large amounts of structured, non-relational data. It’s a NoSQL key-attribute store designed for rapid development and fast access to large quantities of data.

Key Features:

● Semi-Structured Datasets: Suitable for storing flexible datasets like user data, address books, device information, and other metadata.
● Scalability: Automatically scales to meet the demand of the application’s throughput and storage needs.
● Cost-Effective: A cost-effective option for storing large amounts of unstructured data that doesn’t require the overhead of additional features.

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