https://www.sqldbachamps.

com Praveen Madupu +91 98661 30093

Sr SQL Server DBA, Dubai
[email protected]

When comparing SQL Server on AWS and SQL Server on Azure, both platforms offer robust cloud
environments to run SQL Server databases, but they differ in their features, pricing models, deployment options,
and integration with other cloud services.

Below is a detailed comparison of SQL Server on AWS and SQL Server on Azure across key aspects:

1. Deployment Models

AWS SQL Server

● Amazon RDS for SQL Server (Managed Service):

○ A fully managed relational database service.
○ AWS handles tasks like backups, patching, and scaling.
○ Limited access to the OS and certain SQL Server features, as AWS abstracts away the underlying
infrastructure.
● SQL Server on Amazon EC2 (Self-managed on Virtual Machines):

https://www.sqldbachamps.com
○ Provides full control over the OS and SQL Server instance, including custom configurations and
access to all SQL Server features.
○ You manage the VM, backups, patching, and all administrative tasks.

Azure SQL Server

● Azure SQL Database (PaaS):

○ A fully managed Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering for SQL Server.
○ Provides limited control over server configurations but offers automatic scaling, backups, patching,
and built-in HA/DR.
○ Only supports the latest versions of SQL Server and may not include every SQL Server feature.
● Azure SQL Managed Instance (Managed Service):
○ A managed service that offers a near-full SQL Server feature set.
○ Designed to closely replicate on-premises SQL Server capabilities with support for features like
SQL Server Agent, cross-database queries, and more.
● SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (IaaS):
○ Offers full control of the SQL Server instance and OS, with full SQL Server features.
○ Users are responsible for managing VMs, including backups, patching, and administrative tasks.
https://www.sqldbachamps.com Praveen Madupu +91 98661 30093
Sr SQL Server DBA, Dubai
[email protected]

2. Control and Management

AWS SQL Server

● RDS for SQL Server is a managed service where users do not have full control over the SQL Server
environment. AWS manages OS-level access, backups, and patching. This simplifies management but
restricts certain features like SQL Server Agent and cross-database queries.
● SQL Server on EC2 allows complete control over SQL Server and the underlying OS. Users have to
manage everything from OS patching, backups, monitoring, and SQL Server-specific configurations.

Azure SQL Server

● Azure SQL Database offers a fully managed environment where Microsoft handles all aspects of
management (e.g., patching, scaling, and backups), making it easy for developers but limiting certain
features (e.g., linked servers, cross-database queries).
● Azure SQL Managed Instance provides more control than Azure SQL Database, offering access to
nearly all SQL Server features, including SQL Server Agent and cross-database queries. However, it's still

https://www.sqldbachamps.com
●
a managed service, so OS-level control is limited.
SQL Server on Azure VMs offers full control over the OS and SQL Server environment, similar to SQL
Server on AWS EC2. You are responsible for managing the infrastructure, including patching, backups,
and configuration.
https://www.sqldbachamps.com Praveen Madupu +91 98661 30093
Sr SQL Server DBA, Dubai
[email protected]

3. High Availability and Disaster Recovery

AWS SQL Server

● Amazon RDS for SQL Server supports Multi-AZ deployments for high availability. This provides
synchronous replication to a standby instance in another availability zone with automatic failover. AWS
manages replication and failover.
● SQL Server on EC2 can use traditional SQL Server HA features like Always On Availability Groups
(AGs), Database Mirroring, and SQL Server Failover Clusters. AWS provides the underlying
infrastructure but leaves setup and management to the user.

Azure SQL Server

● Azure SQL Database comes with built-in high availability through automatic replication across
availability zones (for Premium and Business Critical tiers) without the need for user configuration.
Geo-replication and auto-failover groups can be used for disaster recovery.
● Azure SQL Managed Instance also provides built-in high availability similar to on-premises SQL

https://www.sqldbachamps.com
Server Always On Availability Groups. Disaster recovery can be achieved through auto-failover
groups across regions.
● SQL Server on Azure VMs supports traditional SQL Server HA features like Always On AGs, Failover
Clusters, and Database Mirroring. You must manage setup and configuration for HA/DR.
https://www.sqldbachamps.com Praveen Madupu +91 98661 30093
Sr SQL Server DBA, Dubai
[email protected]

4. Performance and Scalability

AWS SQL Server

● RDS for SQL Server provides vertical scaling by allowing users to choose from a variety of instance types
with different vCPU and memory combinations.
● SQL Server on EC2 offers both vertical scaling (changing instance size) and horizontal scaling (using
Always On AGs for scale-out reads).
● AWS Elastic Block Storage (EBS) offers storage options such as General Purpose SSD, Provisioned
IOPS (IOPS SSD), and Magnetic Storage for SQL Server databases.

Azure SQL Server

● Azure SQL Database offers dynamic, automatic scaling with multiple pricing tiers (Basic, Standard,
Premium). It supports elastic pools that allow you to scale multiple databases together.
● Azure SQL Managed Instance provides high scalability with support for large databases, high
throughput, and a predictable performance model.

https://www.sqldbachamps.com
● SQL Server on Azure VMs allows full control over performance with options to scale vertically or
horizontally. Azure provides Premium SSD, Standard SSD, Ultra Disk, and Standard HDD storage
options.
https://www.sqldbachamps.com Praveen Madupu +91 98661 30093
Sr SQL Server DBA, Dubai
[email protected]

5. Security

AWS SQL Server

● RDS for SQL Server supports Encryption at Rest using AWS KMS (Key Management Service) and
Encryption in Transit with SSL/TLS.
● SQL Server on EC2 provides full control over security configurations, including OS-level access. AWS
security features like VPC (Virtual Private Cloud), Security Groups, IAM, and AWS Shield (DDoS
protection) can be used.

Azure SQL Server

● Azure SQL Database and Managed Instance offer built-in security features like Transparent Data
Encryption (TDE), Always Encrypted, Dynamic Data Masking, and Advanced Threat Protection.
● SQL Server on Azure VMs gives full control over SQL Server and OS-level security settings. Azure
Security Center, Azure Defender, and Azure Key Vault are available for additional security.

https://www.sqldbachamps.com
6. Backup and Restore

AWS SQL Server

● RDS for SQL Server offers automated backups, including point-in-time restores. Backup retention can be
configured for up to 35 days. Manual snapshots can be stored in Amazon S3.
● SQL Server on EC2 requires users to manage backups using native SQL Server backup mechanisms or
third-party solutions. You can store backups in Amazon S3 or Amazon Glacier for long-term retention.

Azure SQL Server

● Azure SQL Database automatically backs up databases with point-in-time restore available for up to 35
days. Long-term retention backups can be stored for up to 10 years.
● Azure SQL Managed Instance provides automated backups and supports long-term retention in Azure
Blob Storage.
● SQL Server on Azure VMs requires manual backup management using SQL Server native tools, or
Azure Backup can be used for automated VM and database backups.
https://www.sqldbachamps.com Praveen Madupu +91 98661 30093
Sr SQL Server DBA, Dubai
[email protected]

7. Pricing and Cost Management

AWS SQL Server

● RDS for SQL Server: Pricing is based on instance type, storage, and data transfer. Licensing costs are
included in the pay-as-you-go model, or you can use Bring Your Own License (BYOL) if you have
existing SQL Server licenses.
● SQL Server on EC2: Pricing includes the cost of the EC2 instance and associated storage (e.g., EBS),
with the option to include licensing costs in the instance price or use BYOL.

Azure SQL Server

● Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance use a pricing model based on DTUs
(Database Transaction Units) or vCores, storage, and data transfer. Licensing is included, or you can
use the Azure Hybrid Benefit to reduce costs by bringing your own SQL Server license.
● SQL Server on Azure VMs: Pricing consists of the VM cost (based on the instance size) and SQL Server
licensing (pay-as-you-go or BYOL via Azure Hybrid Benefit).

https://www.sqldbachamps.com
8. Migration Support

AWS SQL Server

● AWS Database Migration Service (DMS): AWS provides a migration service that supports
heterogeneous and homogeneous database migrations with minimal downtime.
● Backup and Restore: You can also migrate SQL Server databases by backing them up from an
on-premises server and restoring them on AWS EC2 or RDS.

Azure SQL Server

● Azure Database Migration Service (DMS): Azure provides a migration service for both SQL Server
on-premises to Azure SQL Database, Managed Instance, or SQL Server on Azure VMs with minimal
downtime.
● Backup and Restore: Similarly, you can back up your on-premises SQL Server and restore it on Azure
VMs.
https://www.sqldbachamps.com Praveen Madupu +91 98661 30093
Sr SQL Server DBA, Dubai
[email protected]

9. Use Cases

AWS SQL Server

● Amazon RDS for SQL Server is ideal for businesses looking for a fully managed SQL Server
environment where AWS handles most operational tasks.
● SQL Server on EC2 is suitable for customers who need full control over their SQL Server instance and
require features not supported by RDS (e.g., SQL Server Agent, linked servers, or complex replication
setups).

Azure SQL Server

● Azure SQL Database is best for cloud-native applications that need a highly scalable, fully managed
database with minimal administrative overhead.
● Azure SQL Managed Instance is ideal for companies that want the full SQL Server feature set in a
managed environment and need an easy path for migrating from on-premises SQL Server.
● SQL Server on Azure VMs is suitable for customers who need full control over the SQL Server instance

https://www.sqldbachamps.com
or have complex SQL Server configurations that cannot be supported in PaaS services.

Summary:

The choice between SQL Server on AWS and SQL Server on Azure depends largely on the specific
requirements of your workload:

● Amazon RDS and Azure SQL Database are fully managed services with minimal administrative
overhead but limited feature sets.
● SQL Server on EC2 and SQL Server on Azure VMs provide maximum control over the environment,
allowing complex configurations but requiring more management.
● Azure SQL Managed Instance offers a middle ground with many on-premises SQL Server features in a
managed environment.

In terms of integration with the broader cloud ecosystem, AWS and Azure each provide tight integration with their
respective platforms (e.g., AWS Lambda, Azure Functions), so the decision may also come down to your overall
cloud strategy.