Cloud Database Development and Management

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Chapter 12

Windows Azure Management

Objectives

◾ Manage an SQL Database

◾ Manage the Windows Azure

◾ Monitor the services

12.1 Introduction

For database administrators, database management is the main job assignment. ey need to

address issues related to user accounts and security, database backup and restoration, and database

performance tuning. A database administrator is responsible for database system update, remote

access, security enforcement, database backup and restoration, monitoring and tuning database

performance, data analysis for decision making, supporting database applications, and other daily

maintenance tasks.

In Windows Azure, the work on managing storage services and SQL Database can be sig-

nificantly simplified. In the Windows Azure computing environment, database backup and res-

toration are mostly done by Windows Azure. Database administrators do not need to carry out

database backup tasks. An SQL database is automatically replicated to multiple physical servers.

e performance tuning on IT infrastructure is done by the cloud provider. ere is no need to

decide which file should be placed to which hard drive. Also, the cloud provider takes care of most

of the antivirus tasks.

In this chapter, we will explore some of the management tools and issues related to the manage-

ment of Windows Azure storage and SQL Database. ree commonly used tools are available for

managing the Windows Azure and Windows Azure SQL Database. As a GUI-based management

tool, the Windows Azure Management Portal can be used to manage applications and databases

hosted by Windows Azure. As a programming alternative, the Service Management API provides

operations that can perform much of the functionality available through the Management Portal.

As a command-line tool, Windows Azure Service Management PowerShell provides cmdlets that

can perform operations usually done with the Windows Azure Service Management API. With