A variety of SQL Server tools and utilities can be used with SQL Azure Database. They are described in the following headings:
The sqlcmd utility lets you enter Transact-SQL statements, system procedures, and script files at the command prompt, in Query Editor in sqlcmd mode, or in a Windows script file. sqlcmd can also run in an operating system (cmd.exe) job step of a SQL Server Agent job running on an on-premise instance of SQL Server. The sqlcmd utility uses OLE DB to execute Transact-SQL batches. For information related to using sqlcmd with SQL Azure, see How to: Connect to SQL Azure Using sqlcmd.
Note Although the sqlcmd utility is supported by SQL Azure, a similar utility, named osql, is not supported.
For more information about the sqlcmd Utility, see sqlcmd Utility in SQL Server Books Online.
The SQL Server Management Studio from SQL Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2008 R2 Express can be used to access, configure, manage and administer SQL Azure. Previous versions of SQL Server Management Studio are not supported.
SQL Server Management Studio combines graphical tools with a number of rich script editors to provide access to SQL Server to developers and administrators. For more information, see Using SQL Server Management Studio in SQL Server Books Online.
Starting with Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2010, data-tier applications (DACs) are introduced to help developers and database administrators to package SQL Server Database Engine schemas and objects into a single entity called DAC package. For more information, see Understanding Data-tier Applications in SQL Server Books Online. To create a DAC package, you can use the SQL Server Data-tier Application project in Microsoft Visual Studio 2010. To extract a DAC and generate a DAC package file for an existing database, you can use the Extract Data-tier Application Wizard in SQL Server Management Studio.
SQL Azure supports deleting, deploying, extracting, and registering DAC packages but does not support upgrading a DAC package. In other words, the Upgrade Data-tier Application Wizard in SQL Server Management Studio cannot be used to upgrade a DAC deployed to SQL Azure. Upgrading a DAC on SQL Azure involves deploying the new version of the DAC and then copying the data from the existing version to the new version. For more information on how to upgrade a DAC package in SQL Azure, see Deploying Data-tier Applications in SQL Server Books Online.
You can use the Deploy Data-tier Application Wizard in SQL Server Management Studio to deploy a data-tier application (DAC) from a DAC package to SQL Azure. The deployment process registers a DAC instance by storing the DAC definition and metadata in the master database in SQL Azure, creates a database, and then populates the database with all the database objects defined in the DAC. For more information, see How to: Deploy a Data-tier Application in SQL Server Books Online.
You can use the Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard to transfer a database from a local computer to SQL Azure. For more information, see How to: Migrate a Database by Using the Generate Scripts Wizard (SQL Azure Database).
The Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard creates Transact-SQL scripts for your local database and the wizard uses them to publish database objects to SQL Azure. For more information, see Using the Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard in SQL Server Books Online.
There is a new engine-type parameter for SQL Azure. When you are scripting a database and the destination is SQL Azure, set the engine parameter to SQL Azure so that the Generate and Publish Scripts Wizard creates Transact-SQL that is compatible with SQL Azure.
You can transfer data to SQL Azure by using SQL Server 2008 Integration Services (SSIS).
SQL Server 2008 R2 or later supports bulk copy for the transfer of data between an instance of Microsoft SQL Server and SQL Azure.
You can transfer data to SQL Azure by using the bulk copy utility (BCP.exe). The bcp utility bulk copies data between an instance of Microsoft SQL Server and a data file in a user-specified format. The bcp utility can be used to import large numbers of new rows into SQL Server tables or to export data out of tables into data files.
Starting with SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Azure supports the queryout argument when using the bcp utility. When you use the queryout argument, make sure to append –d database_name argument. Otherwise, the bcp utility will not be able to connect to the SQL Azure database.
For more information, see bcp Utility in SQL Server Books Online.
Starting with SQL Server 2008 R2, using SQL Azure as a data source when running SQL Server Analysis Services on-premises is supported.
Starting with SQL Server 2008 R2, using SQL Azure as a data source when running SQL Server Reporting Services on-premises is supported.
A partial set of SQL Server Management Objects (SMO) are supported by SQL Azure. If you use one that is not supported, SMO will throw an exception. For more information, see SMO Exceptions (SQL Azure Database).
For more information about SQL Server Management Objects (SMO), see SQL Server Management Objects (SMO) in SQL Server Books Online.
The Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant 2008 for MySQL version 1.0 CTP1 supports migrating MySQL schema and data to SQL Azure. For more information about SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA), see Migrating to SQL Server 2008 on the SQL Server Web site.
