Every cloud database administrator fears one thing. You wake up on Monday morning. Your database status shows “Recovery Pending” or “Inaccessible.” The database files still sit on the storage disk. However, nobody can open or read the data from the database. In Azure SQL Managed Instance, Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) protects files when stored on … Read more
An Azure SQL Managed Instance Pool is a shared cloud infrastructure resource that allows you to pre-provision compute capacity and deploy multiple, smaller Azure SQL Managed Instances into a single underlying virtual cluster. Think of an Azure SQL Managed Instance Pool like a large apartment building: The building itself = the pool (shared infrastructure, pre-provisioned … Read more
Welcome back to another deep dive on Cloud Nerchuko. If you have ever tried setting up a Linked Server from an Azure SQL Managed Instance (MI) to an Azure SQL Database using a System-Assigned Managed Identity, you know that Azure networking can sometimes feel like navigating a maze of invisible walls. Recently, I went through … Read more
When migrating to Azure SQL Managed Instance (SQL MI), Linked Servers often become a critical requirement for maintaining cross-environment connectivity. They act as a vital bridge, allowing you to execute queries or call stored procedures across diverse environments whether that is an on-premises database, Azure SQL DB, SQL Server on an Azure VM, or another … Read more
In the modern digital landscape, applications rely on databases to remain functional at all times. However, unforeseen events such as hardware failures, regional power outages, or accidental human errors can disrupt normal operations. To protect data and ensure business continuity, Microsoft Azure SQL Managed Instance offers a robust set of recovery tools. Here are the … Read more
In this post, I am going to share my hands-on experience measuring the actual downtime you can expect when scaling an Azure SQL Managed Instance (SQL MI) up or down. Specifically, I will be walking you through a real-world test of scaling storage size and vCores using a free-tier SQL Managed Instance. I will append … Read more
If you have migrated your databases to the cloud, you already know the incredible benefits of Azure SQL Managed Instance (SQL MI). It offers near 100% compatibility with the latest SQL Server engine, automated patching, and robust security. Now, here comes the biggest risk and it is the final bill on your invoice for consuming … Read more
Linked servers enable Azure SQL Managed Instance (SQL MI) to seamlessly execute distributed queries and commands against remote database servers, such as other SQL MIs, Azure SQL Databases, or on-premises SQL Server instances. I’m discussing the creation of a linked server from one SQL Server to another. This blog post doesn’t cover creating a linked … Read more
If you are running tasks manually on your databases, it’s time to automate. SQL Agent Jobs allow us to schedule T-SQL statements against the databases in Azure SQL MI so they run on their own. Today, I’m not going to waste time talking about the theory behind it. I’m just going to show you the … Read more
If you’re planning a database migration or architecting a new cloud-native solution, you’ve likely hit this exact crossroads: should you choose Azure SQL DB or Azure SQL Managed Instance? Both are fully managed PaaS offerings, but they serve very different use cases. Making the wrong choice early on can lead to architectural roadblocks, complex refactoring, … Read more