Item: Azure SQL Database
Rating: 5
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

For the last year the company I work for is migrating to the cloud. This is a mega operation, and migration to SQL Database is just one of many things we're doing. SQL Database is used mainly for medium sized applications. Large applications use Oracle, while small applications would not benefit at all from SQL Database because it's rather expensive. What SQL Database is particularly good at is security and integration with other tools within Azure.

Pros and Cons

Maintenance is always an issue, so using a cloud solution saves a lot of trouble.
On premise solutions always suffer from fragmented implementations here and there, where several "dba's" keep track of security and maintenance. With a cloud database it's much easier to keep a central overview.
Security options in SQL database are next level... data masking, hiding sensitive data where always neglected on premise, whereas you'll get this automatically in the cloud.

On premise SQL database is much easier to manage with the "SQL server management studio." Especially adding users and roles is a bit of a hassle with Azure SQL Database. You can of course manage within "SQL server management studio," but is slow and does not have all options at your disposal.
I find it rather expensive up to a point where I can't "sell" my recommendation to use SQL Database to the management department. The simplest implementation (not for productional use) is already 380 dollar per month. When you have an existing on premise SQL Database environment, it's very hard to convince anyone to use the cloud option.
I find the management capabilities in the cloud rather disappointing. I would like a cloud version of SQL Server management studio, instead of using CLI or powershell for everything. The on premise SQL server management studio is too slow and lack functionality when it comes to SQL database integration.

Return on Investment

Positive: very easy implementation!
Positive: finally a good (easy) implementation of data masking, something we always neglected on premise.
Positive: no maintenance!! No "server is down" messages on your phone at 3 'o clock in the morning.
Negative: Too expensive to use for all other scenario's than a few very important applications.

Alternatives Considered

Oracle Database

Oracle Database is "the" serious database. There really is no competition in that field. SQL Database would be a serious competitor through the ease of implementation and the "no maintenance," but since it's too expensive for "normal" use (medium to small applications), it just priced itself out of the market, so to speak. Nevertheless, we do have 2 or 3 large applications that are highly integrated in azure, and for those it's just too easy to use SQL Database instead of the on premise Oracle Database with VPN gateways etcetera.

Key Insights

Do you think Azure SQL Database delivers good value for the price?

Not sure

Are you happy with Azure SQL Database's feature set?

Yes

Did Azure SQL Database live up to sales and marketing promises?

Did implementation of Azure SQL Database go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Azure SQL Database again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect, Atlassian Confluence, Microsoft Visual Studio Code

Likelihood to Recommend

Small application that use their own database are better of on premise, since Azure SQL Database is simply too expensive. Like a factor 10 too expensive. These kinds of applications can grow in number throughout the years, and if they would all implement their own Azure SQL Database, we would simply not be making those applications anymore.
If you have a (large) application that is highly integrated with other azure modules, like events, API's queues, functions and apps, then it makes sense to use SQL Database.

Too expensive to be really useful overall.

Overall Satisfaction with Azure SQL Database