Free SQL Server in Azure

Question

I'm creating a MVC 5 web application with EF 6 Code first. Now it creates a database in the App_Data folder. I want to publish the website to an Azure website. Because this is only the test version of the website, I don't want to pay for it. It will only visited a couple of times a month until it is in production.

Is it possible to run the database something like an access database file? I thought that some kind of functionality existed. I thought the name was SQL Server Compact Edition? But how does it works?

I also thought that you could create a free 20MB sql server database. See this link of the pricing page. Search for 20 in your browser. http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/web-sites/ I don't see that option.

Any ideas would be welcome!

Answer 1

Yes, you just have to right click and include in your project.

I write an article for this in Chinese, and this is the English version I found.

Solution for free SQL Server in Azure:

1. Install two nuget: EntityFrame.SqlServerCompact & Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition

2. Put SQL database file (.sdf/.mdf) in APP_Data folder

3. Put connection string like this to use it:

   <add name ="DefaultConnection" connectionString ="Data Source=|DataDirectory|CompactDB.sdf" providerName ="System.Data.SqlServerCe.4.0" /> 

4. Publish full project include above SQL database file to AzureWebsites.

5. It work well and is totally free.

Answer 2

I found the 20Mb free SQL Server option. I still had a website in my subscription that was stopped. When I deleted that, no website or database was there in my subscription anymore. I then created a new website via the custom website option in the azure portal. I then could select (in the wizard) a free 20 MB SQL Server database.

I uploaded my MVC application and the Code First created my database automatically. I don't know why the option wasn't showing up before but now it works.