Azure SQL Database

Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service built on the Microsoft SQL Server engine. It handles infrastructure management — including patching, backups, monitoring, and high availability — so that you can focus on application development and query optimisation.

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Deployment Models

Single Database

A standalone database with dedicated compute and storage resources. Each database is isolated and managed independently.

az sql db create \
  --resource-group rg-demo \
  --server my-sql-server \
  --name my-database \
  --service-objective GP_Gen5_2

Elastic Pool

Multiple databases sharing a pool of compute resources (eDTUs or vCores). This is ideal when you have many databases with unpredictable or variable usage patterns — some databases are busy while others are idle.

az sql elastic-pool create \
  --resource-group rg-demo \
  --server my-sql-server \
  --name my-pool \
  --edition GeneralPurpose \
  --capacity 4

A single elastic pool can hold up to 500 databases. Each database can burst up to the pool's total resources while the overall cost remains capped.

Serverless Compute Tier

A compute tier within the single database model that auto-scales and auto-pauses: