Azure SQL Database Update and Roadmap for 2019

• New deployment and packaging options mimic traditional on-premises environments and simplify moving applications to the service.
• Hybrid options introduce new ways for sharing data, while retaining production databases on-premises.
• Features continue to arrive after they are released with SQL Server on-premises; however, the gap has shrunk to a point where it will not affect most adoption decisions.
• Planned deployment models will help customers optimize computing resources and deploy large-scale applications.

Azure SQL Database (and SQL Managed Instance) is a multitenant relational database management service hosted in Azure. It is designed for organizations seeking a hosted database service with low cost, quick deployment, scalability, and global reach. The service is based on SQL Server 2017 and offers many of the most common database management features and APIs offered with its on-premises parent. It also includes high-availability and replication features, providing globally distributed data sharing and disaster recovery. However, the service is not a full replacement for SQL Server, as it lacks advanced roles and features of its parent product, such as reporting and integration services, and most options limit the size of databases. (For a comparison, see the chart “Comparing SQL Server Database On-Premises with Azure Offerings“.)