Updated: July 9, 2020 (October 31, 2011)
SidebarThe Windows Azure Platform
The Windows Azure platform can reduce the cost of purchasing and maintaining server infrastructure to support internal-use or Web-based applications by outsourcing some functions to Microsoft’s data centers. In particular, it can help organizations meet peak capacity without permanent investments in the hardware and software necessary for peak loads. However, Windows Azure platform services are not complete replacements for on-premises servers (although a beta of Windows Azure virtual machine roles is available), and SQL Server’s business intelligence features are not yet available through the SQL Azure Database hosted data management service. (SQL Azure Reporting Services, in Community Technology Preview [CTP] now, will probably become a production service in early 2012.)
The Windows Azure platform includes the following services:
- The Windows Azure service, which hosts applications and stores application data
- The SQL Azure Database service, which hosts relational databases using
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