Azure SQL Database
Create a fully managed Azure SQL Database, configure service tiers (DTU vs. vCore), and take advantage of built-in high availability and automatic backups.
What Is Azure SQL Database?
Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service built on the Microsoft SQL Server engine. Unlike running SQL Server on a virtual machine, Azure SQL Database removes the overhead of patching, hardware management, and backup scheduling. Microsoft handles all infrastructure tasks while you focus entirely on your application and data.
Service Tiers: DTU vs vCore
Azure SQL Database offers two purchasing models. The DTU model bundles compute, memory, and I/O into a single unit called a Database Transaction Unit — simple but less flexible. The vCore model lets you choose CPU cores and memory independently, and supports Azure Hybrid Benefit for licence savings. For most new workloads, vCore is recommended.
# vCore model example using Azure CLI
az sql db create \
--resource-group myRG \
--server mysqlserver \
--name mydb \
--service-objective GP_Gen5_2 \
--edition GeneralPurpose