SQL Azure Video Tutorial and Best Practices , Database size and Billing

The way SQL Azure is being promoted and in the talks on the online media and blogosphere, it can be said that it's the most talked about subject these days. This is the right time when solution provider organizations should start developing their in-house competency on Microsoft flavor of cloud computing i.e. Windows and/or SQL Azure platform. Those who feel that cloud is something new, there is something that they need to know. It's newly introduced in Microsoft parlance by the Windows Azure platform, but there are other established players in this business since long. A nice slideshow on Top 10 Cloud Computing Leaders from Forbes.com can be viewed from here.

Now without drawing much background, I would come straight to the points mentioned in the topic of this post.

1) SQL Azure Team recently announced a very nice video from Tech-Ed which explains different aspects of data migration to SQL Azure. It's a full 56 mins video available for free viewing and download. It's such a nice free learning resource on SQL Azure, that it should not be missed.

2) SQL Express edition of SQL Azure, does anyone know this ? Check this comparison table to get an idea of the same. The Windows Azure account "Introductory Special" pricing offer can be considered as the SQL Express equivalent of SQL Azure. By signing up for this offer, it provides a web edition database of SQL Azure at no charge for limited time usage. One interesting point is that if you carefully study this table, you would find that if you are accessing from Europe / United States you get more limits compared to Asia. Asians would not be happy with this.

3) The above comparison table details would go obsolete in a short while, as SQL Azure team has announced 50 GB sized databases, and also the upper limit of web and business edition is increasing. The upper limit of web edition would be 5 GB (from 1 GB) and that of business edition would be 50 GB (from 10 GB). A nice explanation of the billing details can be read from this article.

Reference: SQL Azure Team Blog