SQL Server as a Cloud Service
November 11th 2015
Warner Chaves
SQL MVP/MCM
Bio
• 10 years as a SQL DBA.
• Previously an L3 DBA at HP in Costa Rica, now a consultant at Pythian out of Ottawa,
Ontario.
• SQL Server MCM/MVP
• Twitter: @warchav
• Email: [email protected]
• Blog: SQLTurbo.com
• Company site: Pythian.com
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Agenda
Objective: introduce the concept of SQL as a cloud service and the
main providers.
• Providers I’ll go through:
1. Microsoft Azure SQL Database.
2. Amazon RDS for SQL Server.
3. VMWare VCloud Air SQL Server.
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Fundamental Concepts
• Public cloud provider.
• DbaaS (Database as a Service).
• AKA: PaaS (Platform as a service).
• Not the same as running SQL on a VM
(Infrastructure as a Service).
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Database as a service (DbaaS)
• Provider: from the engine down.
• User/DBA: from the engine up.
• Common service aspects:
•
•
•
•
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High Availability.
“On-demand” scalability.
Backups.
Other pluses depending on the provider.
Microsoft Azure
SQL Database
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Service Cost
• No explicit licensing cost.
• Existing SQL licenses can not be repurposed.
• It’s billed by the hour based on service level and
model.
• Storage, compute and backup are baked in to the
price.
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Security
• There is a server level firewall and database level firewall rules.
• SQL Logins were the only supported method until recently.
• Azure Active Directory support is in preview now.
• This allows Windows Authentication when mixed with Windows
Server Active Directory.
• Endpoints are open on the internet, no Virtual Network support
yet.
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Security
• New security features in parity with the upcoming SQL
2016 release:
• Dynamic Data Masking.
• Row Level Security.
• Always Encrypted.
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Configurations
• Basic – 2GB Max – 5 DTUs
• Standard – S0 – S3 – 250 GB Max – 10 a 100 DTUs
• Premium – P1 – P6 – 500 GB Max – 125 a 1000
DTUs
• Premium P11 – 1 TB Max – 1750 DTUs
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DTU?
• Database Transaction Unit.
• Blended measure of CPU + memory + storage + concurrency.
• Used as a comparison point.
• Example:
• 100 queries on Basic (5 DTUs) take 10 minutes.
• 100 queries on Standard 3 (100 DTUs) take 30 seconds.
• A factor of 20x (5x20=100).
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Services in the platform
• Scale up by changing service level (includes the DTU change).
• Backups with point-in-time restore (retention depending on
service).
• Two types of HA: standard and active.
• System manages version and deploys new features.
• TDE (Total Database Encryption) and auditing on all levels.
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Service Models
• Individual db model in the configs described.
• ‘Elastic db pool’ model can group multiple dbs.
• Pools in 3 levels: Basic, Standard, Premium.
• The goal of pools is to provide a better cost/performance
ration when dealing with many dbs.
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Elastic database tools
• A differentiator from other providers.
• It’s a stack of tools specific for scale out database tiers:
• .NET library for easier app coding against a set of databases.
• Elastic pools for easier resource management.
• Elastic database queries for querying sets of dbs.
• Elastic database jobs to run jobs.
• Distributed db transactions in preview now.
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Main Service Limitations
• Linked servers: link IN only, elastic query out.
• Replication: subscriber only.
• .NET CLR: only ‘safe’ assemblies.
• SSRS – SSIS – SSAS are not part of the service.
• Other instance level tools are not available: Service Broker,
Database Mail, Log shipping, etc.
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DEMO
Portal – Azure SQL Database and pools
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Amazon RDS for
SQL Server
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Service Cost
• A SQL Server license is required.
• You can pay ‘as-you-go’ and Amazon provides the license.
• You can use license mobility if your agreement with MS gives you
those rights.
• There are Express – Web – Standard – Enterprise editions
depending on the version.
• You pay for compute + storage + backups.
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Security
• There is a server level firewall.
• SQL Logins are the only authentication method supported.
• Endpoints can be restricted to only be accessible for objects
in a specific virtual network.
• Security features limited to the specific SQL version you’re
running.
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Configurations
• The license is SEPARATE to the config choices.
• Instance choices are the same as a VM on AWS.
• Some common ones:
• M4 (general config)
• R3 (memory-optimized – more RAM)
• T2 (burst instance – very small dbs)
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Storage Choices
• RDS offers three types of storage:
• General Storage – SSD – 3 IOPS / GB – bursting to 3000
IOPS.
• Provisioned Storage – SSD – 300 IOPS/GB up to amount
reserved (20000 IOPS max).
• Magnetic – normal magnetic HDD, no performance
reservation.
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Services in the Platform
• Instance scale-up (CPU and Memory only).
• Backups with configurable retention (35 days max).
• Patches (depending on what Amazon provides).
• Version Upgrade (depending on Amazon).
• High availability through Database Mirroring.
• TDE (Total Database Encryption) if you’re licensed for it.
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Main Service Limitations
• Storage CANNOT be changed.
• 30 dbs max per instance.
• SQL 2008 R2, 2012, 2014 (up to Standard) on specific versions.
• No distributed transactions to another SQL Server.
• Linked servers: link IN, not out.
• Replication: not officially supported (subscriber works with a few tweaks).
• .NET CLR: only ‘safe’ assemblies.
• SSRS – SSIS – SSAS are not part of the service.
• Other instance features not available: Service Broker, Maintenance Plans, Db Mail, etc.
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DEMO
Portal – Amazon RDS for SQL Server
and SQL config method.
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VMWare VCloud
Air for SQL
Server
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Service Cost
• Does not include a license ‘pay-as-you-go’ method
yet..
• Either buy a new license or use license mobility.
• You pay compute + storage + backups.
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Current Info
• Announced September 2nd 2015.
• Two initial offerings (fixed at the moment):
• Small: 2 cores – 8GB RAM
• Medium: 4 cores – 16GB RAM
• 150GB per instance at the moment.
• SQL 2008 R2 or 2012.
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Migration criteria
Amazon RDS
- Many cross database dependencies.
- Database is stable and won’t grow
unpredictably.
- Does not need anything 2014 Enterprise.
- Prefer a setup that mimics the ‘box’ product
closely.
Azure SQL Database
- New application built or hosted on the
cloud.
- Elastic scale out capabilities might be
needed.
- Want to have access to the latest features.
- Are OK with the platform oriented approach
as opposed to a more similar ‘box’ approach.
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Q/A
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Thank you!
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