How to Deploy an Azure SQL Server

In this guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of deploying an Azure SQL Server using the various methods - from the UI based Azure Portal to the more programmatic options. This article contains AI-generated text.

Deploy via the Azure Portal

1. Login to the Azure Portal: Open your preferred web browser and navigate to the Azure Portal. Sign in using your Azure account credentials.
2. Create a new SQL Server: Once logged in, click on the "Create a resource" button located on the left-hand side of the portal. In the search bar, type "SQL Server" and select "SQL Server" from the list of available options.
3. Configure SQL Server settings: Fill in the necessary details for the SQL Server deployment. This includes the Subscription, Resource group, Server name, Server admin login, and Password. Choose an appropriate location for the server and select the desired Performance tier and Collation settings.
4. Configure networking: Under the Networking tab, choose the desired Connectivity method for your SQL Server. Options include Public endpoint, VNet service endpoint, and Private endpoint. Select the appropriate networking option based on your requirements.
5. Review and create: Once you have filled in all the necessary information, review your settings to ensure they are correct. Click on the "Review + create" button at the bottom of the page.
6. Create SQL Server: After reviewing your settings, click on the "Create" button. This will start the deployment process, which may take a few minutes.
7. Access your SQL Server: Once the deployment is complete, you can access your SQL Server by navigating to the SQL servers section in the Azure Portal. From there, select your newly created SQL Server and click on the Overview tab. Here, you will find the Server name and Fully qualified server name, which you can use to connect to your SQL Server using tools such as Azure Data Studio or SQL Server Management Studio.
That's it! You have successfully deployed an Azure SQL Server using the Azure Portal. You can now start creating databases, configuring security settings, and managing your SQL Server as per your requirements.

Deploy via PowerShell

1. Install the Azure PowerShell module: Ensure that you have the Azure PowerShell module installed on your machine. You can do this by running the `Install-Module -Name Az` command in a PowerShell console.
2. Log in to your Azure account: Open a PowerShell console and run the `Connect-AzAccount` command. This will prompt you to provide your Azure credentials and log you into your Azure account.
3. Create a resource group: A resource group acts as a logical container for your Azure resources. Use the `New-AzResourceGroup` command to create a new resource group. For example, `New-AzResourceGroup -Name "MyResourceGroup" -Location "West US"`.
4. Create an Azure SQL Server: To create an Azure SQL Server, use the `New-AzSqlServer` command. Specify the resource group, server name, and other parameters such as the administrator credentials and version. For example, `New-AzSqlServer -ResourceGroupName "MyResourceGroup" -ServerName "MySqlServer" -Location "West US" -SqlAdministratorCredentials $(Get-Credential) -Version "12.0"`
5. Configure firewall settings: By default, Azure SQL Server has firewall rules that block all external access. You need to configure the firewall rules to allow connectivity. Use the `New-AzSqlServerFirewallRule` command to create firewall rules. For example, `New-AzSqlServerFirewallRule -ResourceGroupName "MyResourceGroup" -ServerName "MySqlServer" -FirewallRuleName "AllowMyIP" -StartIpAddress "10.0.0.1" -EndIpAddress "10.0.0.1"`
6. Create an Azure SQL Database: Use the `New-AzSqlDatabase` command to create a new Azure SQL Database associated with your SQL Server. Specify the resource group, server name, database name, and other parameters such as the edition and service objective. For example, `New-AzSqlDatabase -ResourceGroupName "MyResourceGroup" -ServerName "MySqlServer" -DatabaseName "MyDatabase" -Edition "Standard" -RequestedServiceObjectiveName "S2"`
7. Connect to the Azure SQL Server: To connect to the Azure SQL Server using PowerShell, use the `Connect-AzSqlServer` command. Specify the resource group and server name. For example, `Connect-Az

Deploy via Visual Studio

To deploy an Azure SQL server via Visual Studio, you can follow the steps outlined below:
1. Open Visual Studio: Launch Visual Studio on your computer.
2. Create a new project: Select "File" from the menu, then choose "New" and "Project" to create a new project.
3. Choose the appropriate project type: In the "New Project" window, select the appropriate project type for your application. This could be a web application, a mobile app, or any other project type that requires a SQL server.
4. Configure database settings: Once you have selected the project type, you will need to configure the database settings. In the project properties or settings, locate the option to specify the database connection. Here you will need to enter the necessary credentials and other information required to connect to an Azure SQL server. This includes the server name, username, password, and other connection details.
5. Connect to Azure: If you haven't already done so, you will need to sign in to your Azure account within Visual Studio. This can be done by selecting "Tools" from the menu, then choosing "Options" and navigating to "Azure Service Authentication". Here you can sign in with your Azure credentials.
6. Publish the project: Once the configuration is complete, you can publish the project to Azure. Right-click on the project in the Solution Explorer, then select "Publish". This will open the publishing wizard.
7. Select Azure SQL server: In the publishing wizard, choose Azure SQL server as the target. You may need to select the appropriate Azure subscription and resource group, depending on your setup.
8. Configure deployment settings: In the publishing wizard, you will have the option to configure various deployment settings. This includes specifying the database name, collation, edition, and other advanced options.
9. Deploy the SQL server: Once the deployment settings are configured, you can proceed to deploy the Azure SQL server. Review the settings and click on the "Publish" button to initiate the deployment process. Visual Studio will establish a connection to Azure and create the SQL server instance according to your specifications.

Other ways to deploy Azure SQL Server:

Azure CLI (Command-Line Interface)

• Azure CLI is another command-line tool that allows you to interact with Azure resources. It's platform-agnostic and can be run from Windows, macOS, or Linux.

  • Example command: az sql server create

ARM (Azure Resource Manager) Templates:

• ARM templates are JSON files that define the resources you want to deploy to Azure. You can use these templates to deploy an Azure SQL Database server in a declarative manner, which is especially useful for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) approaches.

Azure SDKs:

• Azure provides SDKs in various programming languages like .NET, Java, Python, JavaScript, and more. If you have a custom application or a specific use case, you can utilize these SDKs to programmatically deploy and manage Azure SQL Database servers.

Visual Studio:

• With the Azure development workload installed in Visual Studio, developers can directly deploy databases and other Azure resources without leaving the IDE. This approach can integrate well with a developer's workflow, especially if combined with source control operations.

Azure DevOps:

• Azure DevOps Services (formerly VSTS) provides developer services for support teams to plan work, collaborate on code development, and build and deploy applications. You can set up CI/CD pipelines in Azure DevOps to automate the deployment of Azure SQL Database servers.

GitHub Actions:

• GitHub Actions enable automation of software workflows. You can create CI/CD pipelines that deploy Azure SQL Database servers upon code changes, pull requests, or other triggers.

Terraform:

• Terraform by HashiCorp is an IaC tool that allows you to provision and manage Azure resources using a declarative configuration language. With its Azure provider, you can define and provide data center infrastructure using the HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) or even JSON.