Does anyone have a backup strategy for Azure SQL databases?

Question

I am using SQL Azure in a project and it works great. The problem is that the usual backup functions do not exist. I exported the database several times using SQLAzureMW ( http://sqlazuremw.codeplex.com/ ), but now this tool is suffocating trying to load database data using bcp. In any case, this is not as good as backing up SQL Server.

Does anyone know a commercial or open source tool or other technique for reliable backup of Azure SQL databases? This is really a shopper.

Answer 1

Starting with Update 4, SQL Azure now supports database copies. You can make a copy of your database stored in Azure and use it to retrieve data in case of accidental deletion or bugaboo schema:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff951624.aspx

You don't care to get this database from Azure and your own local SQL Server, but at least you have a mechanism for creating a snapshot.

Answer 2

Microsoft will take care of backups for you. There is no reason to back up Azure SQL databases.

Answer 3

Yes, we had the same problem, and we could not find any good / simple solutions, so we combined the solution using Red Gate: http://mooneyblog.mmdbsolutions.com/index.php/2011/01 / 11 / simple-database-backups-with-sql-azure

Answer 4

SQL Azure will support PIT backup / restore (instant time) (mainly recovery) at the end of this year (2011), CTP in the summer. There is some (small) preliminary information here information here .