<h3>Background/Problem</h3> <p>I'm trying to do something along the lines of the following but can't find it documented:</p> <ul> <li>SQL Azure Database (not VM)</li> <li>Hook it up to some (blob) storage</li> <li>Utilize FileTables to store files to the db/filesystem</li> </ul> <h3>Clarification: Rough Architecture</h3> <p>This is what I'm thinking:</p> <pre class="prettyprint"><code> +--------------------+ | Queue for Requests | | For File Packages | +---------+----------+ | | +----------v-----------+ |Worker Role | |Grabs Files to Package| +-----------+----------+ | | +--------v-------+ +--------------+ |SQL Azure |<----------+|Web Site | |Using FileTable | |Saves to Azure| +----------------+ +--------------+ + | | v +--------------------------+ |RAID 0 Striping -- 500 GB | |------------+-------------| | | | | 250 GB | 250 GB | | Disk 1 | Disk 2 | +------------+-------------+ </code></pre> <h3>Question</h3> <p>Is this setup possible, and if not, why not?</p> <p>I have been looking everywhere but without actually paying for a Windows Azure account it's hard to find out ahead of time.</p>

<p>No, SQL Azure does not support filetable, nor filestreams. You can store your files in Azure Blob Storage (see How to use the Windows Azure Blob Storage Service) and store metadata about files (name, type, URL location) in SQL Azure DB.</p> <p>For a list of SQL Server feature limitations in Windows Azure SQL Database refer to Azure SQL Database Transact-SQL information.</p> <p>For a list of <code>ALTER DATABASE</code> options supported by Windows Azure SQL Database refer to ALTER DATABASE (Transact-SQL).</p>

<p>Unfortunatelly FileTable and FILESTREAM is not supported. Take a look at:</p> <p>Features that are not supported in Azure SQL V12</p>

Can Microsoft Azure SQL Server utilize FileTable / Blob Storage?

Background/Problem

I'm trying to do something along the lines of the following but can't find it documented:

SQL Azure Database (not VM)
Hook it up to some (blob) storage
Utilize FileTables to store files to the db/filesystem

Clarification: Rough Architecture

This is what I'm thinking:

   +--------------------+
   | Queue for Requests |
   | For File Packages  |
   +---------+----------+
             |
             |
  +----------v-----------+
  |Worker Role           |
  |Grabs Files to Package|
  +-----------+----------+
              |
              |
     +--------v-------+            +--------------+
     |SQL Azure       |<----------+|Web Site      |
     |Using FileTable |            |Saves to Azure|
     +----------------+            +--------------+
              +
              |
              |
              v
 +--------------------------+
 |RAID 0 Striping -- 500 GB |
 |------------+-------------|
 |            |             |
 | 250 GB     |      250 GB |
 | Disk 1     |      Disk 2 |
 +------------+-------------+

Question

Is this setup possible, and if not, why not?

I have been looking everywhere but without actually paying for a Windows Azure account it's hard to find out ahead of time.

Does Azure SQL use BLOB storage?

You just need to define backup retention and storage location and the rest of all activities will be taken care of by managed backup feature. SQL Server Managed Backup also uses Azure blob storage to store all backup files.

What storage does Azure SQL use?

SQL Server Data Files in Microsoft Azure enables native support for SQL Server database files stored as blobs. It allows you to create a database in SQL Server running in on-premises or in a virtual machine in Microsoft Azure with a dedicated storage location for your data in Microsoft Azure Blob storage.

What is SQL Server FileTable?

A FileTable is a specialized user table with a pre-defined schema that stores FILESTREAM data, as well as file and directory hierarchy information and file attributes. A FileTable provides the following functionality: A FileTable represents a hierarchy of directories and files.

Does Azure SQL support Filestream?

Filestream is not supported on Azure SQL Database, because of its nature PaaS. So, in case you do not want to change anything in your SQL Databases, you can consider to use Azure SQL Managed Instance.

No, SQL Azure does not support filetable, nor filestreams. You can store your files in Azure Blob Storage (see How to use the Windows Azure Blob Storage Service) and store metadata about files (name, type, URL location) in SQL Azure DB.

For a list of SQL Server feature limitations in Windows Azure SQL Database refer to Azure SQL Database Transact-SQL information.

For a list of ALTER DATABASE options supported by Windows Azure SQL Database refer to ALTER DATABASE (Transact-SQL).

Unfortunatelly FileTable and FILESTREAM is not supported. Take a look at:

Features that are not supported in Azure SQL V12

Can Microsoft Azure SQL Server utilize FileTable / Blob Storage?