Azure SQL

Move your organisation away from existing on-premises technologies and migrate your databases to Azure SQL to provide a secure robust cloud-based data storage and querying platform that integrates with all data and analysis tools such as Power BI, Qlik and Tableau.

How we can help you using Azure SQL

AGER BI can help by optimising database performance, ensuring high availability, and scaling as required. We can design a robust data architecture, migrate on-premises databases to the cloud, and implement advanced features like automated backups, security measures, and data encryption.

Additionally, we can offer insights into integrating Azure SQL with other Azure services, enabling real-time analytics, data warehousing, and business intelligence solutions.

What is Azure SQL?

Azure SQL is a fully managed relational database service provided by Microsoft on its Azure cloud platform. It is built on the same SQL Server technology that powers many on-premises database environments, but with the added benefits of cloud scalability, high availability, and built-in intelligence.

Whether you’re migrating legacy applications, building cloud-native solutions, or extending existing on-premises applications to the cloud, Azure SQL offers a powerful and flexible platform for managing and securing your data.

Pricing Models

The key models include DTU-based pricing (Database Transaction Unit), which bundles compute, storage, and I/O resources into a single unit, making it simple to estimate costs for smaller workloads. The more flexible vCore-based pricing allows customers to independently scale compute, memory, and storage, offering more control over performance and cost.

Additionally, there are serverless options for dynamic workloads that automatically scale compute resources based on usage, helping optimise costs. Each model includes options for different service tiers, such as Basic, Standard, and Premium, allowing users to tailor their SQL database performance and scalability to specific requirements.

General Purpose: This tier offers balanced compute and storage options for most business applications. It’s ideal for medium to large-sized workloads with standard performance needs.
Business Critical: This high-performance tier provides low-latency, high-availability, and high-throughput for mission-critical workloads that require high performance and minimal downtime.
Hyperscale: The Hyperscale tier is designed for very large databases and applications that require rapid scaling, and it supports databases that grow to hundreds of terabytes.
Serverless: For intermittent or unpredictable workloads, the serverless tier automatically scales compute resources based on demand and pauses during inactivity, providing cost savings.

Key Features

Fully Managed and Scalable	Azure SQL is a fully managed service, meaning Microsoft handles tasks such as database patching, backup, and disaster recovery. It can easily scale up or down based on performance and capacity needs. This eliminates the complexity of managing infrastructure while offering the flexibility to grow as application demands evolve.
High Availability and Reliability	With built-in high availability, Azure SQL ensures applications are always available. It offers a Service Level Agreement (SLA) of 99.99% uptime, meaning databases are resilient to failures, whether in the data centre or caused by network disruptions.
Advanced Security Features	Azure SQL comes with robust security measures to protect your data. These include: Encryption: Data is encrypted both at rest and in transit using industry-standard encryption algorithms. Threat Detection: Built-in anomaly detection helps identify suspicious activities and potential security threats. Firewall and Virtual Network Rules: Database access can be controlled by setting up firewall rules or using private endpoints and virtual networks for tighter access control.
Built-in Intelligence	Azure SQL includes powerful, automated features like: Performance Tuning: Automatic performance tuning using built-in machine learning capabilities that suggest or apply index optimisations and query tuning. Auto-Scaling: The database can automatically scale based on workload demands, ensuring optimal performance without manual intervention. Query Performance Insights: Get actionable insights into query performance and optimise databases.
Global Reach with Geo-Replication	Azure SQL allows replication data across multiple regions globally, providing disaster recovery capabilities and ensuring low-latency access for global users. Users can configure active geo-replication to copy data to any Azure region.
Compliance and Certifications	Microsoft ensures Azure SQL complies with major industry standards and regulations, such as GDPR, HIPAA, SOC, and ISO, so that data is handled according to the highest security and privacy standards.
Seamless Integration with Azure Ecosystem	Azure SQL integrates seamlessly with other Azure services such as Azure Functions, Azure App Service, and Azure Logic Apps, providing an integrated environment to build and deploy modern applications. Additionally, Azure’s extensive analytics tools like Azure Synapse Analytics and Power BI allow data to be processed and visualised efficiently.

Benefits

Azure SQL offers a range of benefits that make it an excellent choice for organisations seeking a robust, scalable, and secure cloud-based database solution.

It provides high availability with built-in automatic backups and geo-replication, ensuring minimal downtime and data durability. The platform is fully managed which reduces administrative overhead for users.

It supports advanced security features such as data encryption, threat detection, and identity-based authentication. With flexible pricing models, it allows organisations to scale resources up or down based on their requirements, optimising cost-efficiency.

Additionally, seamless integration with other Azure services and tools, such as Power BI and Azure Machine Learning, enhances its value by enabling sophisticated analytics and AI-driven insights.

Reduced Overhead

Cost-effective

Faster Time to Market

No Hardware

Flexability

Fully Managed

Data Security

High Availability

Use

Azure SQL is suitable for use in a wide range of situations, including:

Web & Mobile Apps

It provides reliable, high-performance database support for both small-scale and enterprise-level web and mobile applications

Data Warehousing

Integrate Azure SQL with Azure Synapse for building modern data warehouses that require real-time analytics and reporting.

BI & Analytics

Use Azure SQL as a backend for BI apps or integrate it with Azure Synapse Analytics and Power BI.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Ensure critical ERP data is available with high performance and security.

Get started

Free consultation

Schedule a free, no obligation consultation with our certified solutions experts to understand how AGER BI can assist with your data needs.

Deep dive and strategy

If you choose to work with us, we’ll design a strategy outlining how we can tackle your biggest pain points immediately, with a plan of action to transform you into a successful state-of-the-art data-driven business.

World-class business intelligence solution

We will implement the strategy phase by phase to deliver you a truly world-class cloud-based business intelligence solution that will transform your business.

Let’s talk