SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines

Bring SQL Server to the Azure Cloud with Confidence 💻

Running SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines offers flexibility and control, but provisioning and managing cloud databases well requires more than clicking through a portal. This hands-on guide brings together seven experienced data platform professionals to help you make smart decisions from the first VM deployment onward.

What This Book Covers

The chapters move from foundational comparisons of Azure SQL options through practical deployment, performance, and hybrid scenarios. You’ll find clear discussions of Azure VM choices, licensing, storage configuration, and the unique capabilities that Azure brings to SQL Server workloads.

• SQL Server on Azure VMs compared with Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance
• Deployment options, VM sizing, and licensing considerations
• High availability, disaster recovery, and Always On availability groups in Azure
• Performance tuning for storage, disks, and SQL Server configuration
• Running SQL Server on Linux in Azure VMs and containers
• Migration tools, hybrid benefits, and backup-to-URL strategies

Practical Guidance for Real Workloads

Rather than only listing features, the authors explain why certain choices matter for cost, reliability, and performance. The book includes use cases for development and test environments, read-scale workloads, migration projects, and disaster recovery setups, grounding cloud concepts in real database work.

Who Will Find This Useful? 🧑‍💻

Database administrators, data engineers, architects, and IT professionals who already know SQL Server and want to extend their skills into Azure will find the guide most valuable. Basic familiarity with SQL Server is helpful, while Azure beginners can follow the step-by-step explanations.

Add this ebook to your library and get a clearer path from on-premises SQL Server to a well-architected Azure VM deployment.