Azure Database Services for MySQL, PostgreSQL in Preview

Azure Database for MySQL and PostgreSQL are Microsoft-hosted database services that remove the need to manage the underlying infrastructure. MySQL and PostgreSQL are popular, cross-platform, open-source relational database products that are often used as an alternative to SQL Server because they are simpler to deploy and less expensive. The managed services use the same back-end environment as other Microsoft-hosted database services, which provide quick deployment, scalability, high-availability, and automatic backups, but they have limits compared to on-premises deployments. They are based on current community editions and receive updates at a pace dictated by Microsoft, which may require more frequent testing.

MySQL and PostgreSQL Overview

MySQL and PostgreSQL are open-source relational database management systems (RDBMS) that are popular alternatives to SQL Server. They provide similar database management features, such as column types, strong security, and concurrency, to ensure data integrity. Both RDBMS packages are updated and maintained by communities that regulate changes to their languages and the addition and retirement of features. MySQL changes are directed by Oracle, which sells a version of it, and by users of the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) open-source Web development platform. PostgreSQL is managed by the PostgreSQL Global Development Group (GDC). Both are available for Linux, macOS, and Windows.