Placing your SQL Server files in Azure Blob Storage is a new feature released in SQL Server 2014. Why would you consider using this service. Fast access to files is commonly an essential performance requirement for databases; that’s why we most often use SAN storage for the speed it provides.
It turns out there are two different ways you can attach to an Azure Blob hosted database. You may attach to the database files using servers that are self hosted. I would expect these to be the slowest in performance. Additionally, you can access the data files from an Azure hosted virtual server running SQL Server 2014.
Using the Azure virtual machine it is likely you will have performance metrics closer to that of a SAN. Since the virutal machines you are able to create are limited in power, the Azure blob storage will most likely not be the weak point in your configuration.
Just think of the implications enabled here. You can now stand up the files on Blob storage. Then, move the server hosting those files easily by attaching to the files on a different server. Note that only one server may attach the files at the same time.
There are some other limitations as well such as FileStream data types are not supported. You may read more about this capability at this address: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn385720.aspx.
What are your thoughts about Azure database file storage? Have you used it? Would you consider it? Leave your comments here or drop an email to btaylor@sswug.org.
Cheers,
Ben