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I have global operations to manage but we currently have Sql Server in just one city. For some of our Asia / Pacific users, connectivity issues, bandwidth, etc. are causing performance problems.
I'm wondering if moving our Sql Server database to Azure (if in fact I'm viewing this service correctly) would be beneficial, as I would assume MS has servers across the world so that people in different regions wouldn't necessarily have to reach all the way over to a city in the U.S. to fetch data.
So, my question is twofold.
1. Am I thinking about Azure correctly, i.e. can it be "Sql Server in the cloud?"
2. What's the nightmare factor when working with Azure? Good stuff, or stay away?
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Yes - Azure can be used as SQL Server in the Cloud. There are datacenters on many continents, and Azure can be set up for high availability and redundancy, spinning up more servers on demand, geographic routing, etc. For a few years now I've been calling it the greatest thing that nobody seems to know about.
The nightmare factor when working with Azure is the opportunity for spiraling cost - operating costs that could accumulate much faster than your revenue stream. You can do a lot with Azure, but the more complex your implementation, the more cost you'll incur. SQL Azure data costs more than no-SQL Azure data, for example. Adding queues for better performance will add to costs. It's better now than it used to be because you can set limits on your cost now, but these costs sometimes encourage solution architects to design non-optimal solutions as a tradeoff to data costs.
In general, you'll need someone familiar with Azure to help get you started because it's not just clicking a button to populate a SQL Server solution to the cloud. Azure isn't just SQL Server, it's much more than that, and it can be very confusing to a newcomer. It doesn't eliminate your IT staff, but it can eliminate mundane hardware acquisition, software installs, and upgrades because Microsoft does them for you.
Azure is Microsoft's future and they're putting a lot into it and it's very competitive. Definitely worth a look.
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Thanks, man. Appreciate the in depth insights.
The main thing I'm trying to understand is this - if I want our ASPAC customers to hit a database close to them, a different one for Europe and a third one for the states, do they provide some kind of magic for this, or do I end up with three sql server databases installed and having to keep them in sync via replication, etc?
If it's the latter scenario, the CIO may well keep it in house and just put servers in those regions. If I can get some distributed magic as part of the plan and the cost isn't excessive, it would eliminate the need for him to do that.
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Thanks, man. Very much appreciate you sharing your perspective.
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Replicated Databases is a very costly option. I would use multiple databases as a very last option. You could always beef-up the database server, plan your indexes, implement indexed views for repeating queries, improve the queries and stored procedures, implement caching in your application or improve performance of the application itself.
And if you have done all of the above and it is still not solving the problem, then I would suggest you to implement some custom caching services, using Redis[^] or MongoDB[^]. Windows Azure offers geo-redundant storage locations, you could use these NoSQL files to act as an intermediate database. It will give you more flexibility and control.
And if you want to implement replication or mirroring in Windows Azure. There are two options because Windows Azure offers two types of SQL Server solutions. SQL Azure (PaaS) and SQL Server inside a VM (IaaS). SQL Azure means zero administration and maintenance at the cost of control and flexibility (We are using this as Production database). And traditional SQL Server inside a Virtual Machine means more control, better performance and complete administration (We are using this as Development database). There are 6 locations available for Azure that you may use.
To sync multiple database using SQL Azure you can use Data-Sync service. This is out-of-the-box solution and you could setup multiple synced databases in just few clicks/minutes. but the biggest problem with this option is the minimum sync time is 5 min. so you will have 5 min delay between the sync and this can cause huge problems.
Which left you with the last option, to do everything by yourself, by setting up multiple Azure VMs in different regions, and then install and configure database mirroring/replication, and setup network load balancer (in Azure this is easy to do). You will also have to change your Application to use 'correct' connection string. I have done this headache in my previous job (with on-premise servers) and it's costly and time consuming, and your DBA will hate you for rest of his life  .
I still prefer to setup Web Application at multiple locations, load balance them, use single but powerful server for Database, and implement some intelligent caching service using NoSQL database. 
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Multiple web apps and a bit of intellegence certainly sounds better than incurring the wrath of the DBAs.
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Most people have more than the average number of legs.
The only instant messaging I do involves my middle finger.
English doesn't borrow from other languages.
English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar.
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I've been told I have 3.
Windows 8 is the resurrected version of Microsoft Bob. The only thing missing is the Fisher-Price logo.
- Harvey
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Very slightly less than two... 
The only instant messaging I do involves my middle finger.
English doesn't borrow from other languages.
English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar.
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Please quit your Integer mentality.
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Somewhere up near 4 where Griff lives
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
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Bloody cheek!
The only instant messaging I do involves my middle finger.
English doesn't borrow from other languages.
English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar.
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It's why median is a more meaningful number!!
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"...the trouble is, neither have you."
The only instant messaging I do involves my middle finger.
English doesn't borrow from other languages.
English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar.
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I bring the average down, cos most of the time I'm legless.
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I'd never heard of him before your link. I'll see if I can find time to watch it later.
The only instant messaging I do involves my middle finger.
English doesn't borrow from other languages.
English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar.
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He has been frequently on TED talks[^] too, quite interesting though. Most is about the actual state of the world, healt issues and poverty etc. I think Bill GAtes has this on his favourite talks as well...
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XKCD[^]
A classic. We're outnumbered (soon). Terminators eat your heart out!
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough."
Alan Kay.
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link not working as expected..
Welcome to AOL 
Every day, thousands of innocent plants are killed by vegetarians.
Help end the violence EAT BACON
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