Month: January 2020

Backups

“Azure SQL Database” includes automatic (compressed) backups. The retention period is 7 days for Basic and 35 days for Standard and Premium. Backups are geo-replicated. The backup schedule is weekly full, hourly diff, and tlog backups every 5 minutes.

All backups support point-in-time recovery with a 12 hour RTO, and 5 minute RPO for in-region backups.

Max backup storage size is twice the tier database size limit (EG: Standard = 500GB of backup space). If exceeded a) request to reduce retention period. b) pay extra at standard read rate.

Long term backup archiving can be done using a) manual export to BACPAC on Azure Blob Storage. b) Long-Term-Retention to Azure Backup Vault for up to 10 years.

Restores

Databases can be restored (if within retention period). Further, all databases and their backups are deleted if you drop a Server.

Local restores can be to a point-in-time, can be renamed, but cannot overwrite an existing database.

Portal click-by-click

1. Create SQL Server
– Home / SQL Servers / Add
– Subscription: “FT”
– Resource Group: “(New) SD-resource”
– Server Name “SD-server”
– Region: “(Europe) UK South” (London)
– Admin login “SD-login” / pw
– Allow Azure Services to access this server: “No”
– Enable advanced security: “Not now”
(wait 2 minutes)

2. Create SQL Database
– Home / SQL Databases / Add
– Database name: “SD-db”
– Elastic pool?: No
– Resources: “5 DTU’s (Basic)”
– Data source: “None” (blank database)
(wait 2 minute)
– Home / SQL Databases
– Database Features
– TDE: “Off”

3. Server level Connectivity
– Home / SQL Servers / Server name: “SD-server.database.windows.net” (cut)
– SSMS (paste) / SQL Server Authentication / SD-login / pw

3b. Messages
– “The requested name is valid, but no data of the requested type was found” =
server name was wrong.
– “New Firewall Rule” = your i/p is not on the server firewall list. Do you want to add it ? = Yes

4. (optional) database connectivity
a. exec sp_set_database_firewall_rule dbfwrule1, ‘86.168.15.119’, ‘86.168.15.119’;
b. select * from sys.database_firewall_rules
c. exec sp_delete_database_firewall_rule dbfwrule1

Notes
– Azure SQL DB offers 3 service tiers: Basic, Standard, and Premium.
– These tiers define performance and recovery.
– Performance is measured in DTU’s
– Multiple DB’s can share resources through Elastic Database Pools.