How to Setup and Connect to a Microsoft SQL Azure Database

Microsoft offers a cloud based database service called SQL Azure. This article contains information on how to setup and then connect to a Microsoft SQL Azure database.

The first step is to sign up for the Windows Azure platform. Go to the following page

https://windows.azure.com/Default.aspx

If you do not yet have a Windows live id, create one and then sign up for the Windows Azure platform using the links on the above page.

Once you are signed up, sign in to the azure platform using the above link. After logging in, you will see the Windows Azure platform control panel.

Click on the "Database" section on the left-hand side of the screen.

Select the "Create a New SQL Azure Database" option.

Choose your subscription in the subscription drop down and "New Server" in the server drop down.

Click next and select the region you wish to use.

Click next and type in the admin login and password to use for the database.

Click next and add rules that will allow your local IP address acces to the SQL Azure database. Click the Add button and enter information for rule name, IP range start, and IP range end. Make sure the IP address of your local machine is included in the IP range.

Click the next button and enter the following information:
Database Name
Edition (Web or Business)
Maximum Size (10 GB, etc.)

You should now be at the point where you have an SQL azure database configured and running. It is now possible to connect to the database from an SQL GUI such as RazorSQL.

To get connected using RazorSQL, you first need to find the connection details of your SQL Azure database. In your SQL Azure control panel, expand the Subscriptions, subscription_name, and then click the database name you just created. On the right-hand side of the screen under properties, you will see the fully qualified DNS name for connecting.

You now have the necessary information to connect using RazorSQL. To create a connection to the SQL Azure database, select the Connections -> Add Connection Profile option, select SQL Azure as the database type, and select the first JDBC option as the connection type.

Enter the admin user name and password that you created when setting up the SQL Azure database.

For the host, enter the fully qualified DNS name from the SQL Azure connection details displayed in the SQL Azure control panel. The port can be left blank or enter 1433.

The database name is the name you gave to the SQL Azure database during the create database process performed above.

Assuming your local IP address or a range containing your local IP address was entered as a firewall rule in the SQL Azure control panel, the connection should be successful.