Azure SQL MI: SMK vs. CMK vs. BYOK

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

What is an Azure SQL Managed Instance Pool? Guide & Uses

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

Fix Azure SQL MI to SQL DB Linked Server Errors Using Entra ID

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

How to Create Linked Servers in SQL MI Using Entra ID

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

Azure SQL Managed Instance RTO and RPO details

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

Scaling Downtime in SQL Managed Instance

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

Check Replication status between SQL MI Primary and Secondary

Ensuring that SQL Managed Instance (SQL MI) replication is properly synchronized between the primary and secondary instances is critical for maintaining high availability, disaster recovery, and data integrity. Replication allows your databases to stay consistent across environments, but if synchronization fails, it can lead to downtime or data loss. The actual article where Microsoft published … Read more

7 Proven Strategies to Reduce SQL Managed Instance Costs

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

How to create a SQL MI Linked Server using TSQL Scripts

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

Fix owner login issue in Agent Job using Entra ID in SQL MI

When I was working on creating and scheduling an agent job, I encountered the below error message. Error Message Create failed for Job ‘GUI_Demo_Daily_Insert’. (Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo) Additional information: An exception occurred while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo) The specified ‘@owner_login_name’ is invalid (valid values are returned by sp_helplogins [excluding Windows NT groups]). (Microsoft SQL … Read more