Introduction

Completed

Many organizations have an aging or under-engineered data-platform strategy. To modernize their IT resources, companies are moving systems to the cloud, building new applications quickly with the cloud, and offloading some on-premises costs.

You need a plan for how to move some workloads to the cloud, and you need to understand how to set up your organization for success. You also need to understand how the role of a database administrator (DBA) or data professional stays the same, and what changes you have to make.

This module starts with a brief history of why and how Microsoft built Azure SQL. You'll then learn about the various deployment options and service tiers, including what to use for your organization and when. These options include Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server in an Azure virtual machine. Understanding what platform as a service (PaaS) encompasses and how it compares to a traditional SQL server environment can help you understand what you do and don't get when you move to the cloud.

Learning objectives

By the end of this module, you'll be able to:

  • Describe the evolution of Azure SQL.
  • Determine which deployment option is best for workloads in your organization.
  • Select the purchasing models, service tiers, and hardware that best fit a workload.

Prerequisites

  • Experience working with, maintaining, and developing with SQL Server
  • Experience with Azure, such as deploying and managing resources

To get the most out of this module, you should understand and be experienced in working with, maintaining, and developing with SQL Server. Some familiarity with the general structure of Azure is helpful, but not required. If you're new to these skills, here are a few references you might want to check out:

  • Pro SQL Server on Linux, by Bob Ward: This book (available online) introduces SQL Server on Linux. In the process, it walks through topics that are fundamental to SQL Server.
  • SQL Server 2022 Workshop: This GitHub workshop helps you learn about the latest innovations available in SQL Server 2022. You'll be able to directly apply much of that knowledge in this module and learning path.