How can I allow unknown users to access my SQL (Azure) DB?

Question

Apparently one must explicitly specify (whitelist) the IP addresses that will be allowed access to a SQL Azure DB. I want, though, to have N-gazillion* users that will access these tables for data specific to them.

• delusions of grandeur/megalomania

Will these need to first provide me with their IP address so that I can add it as a valid entry, or is there a programmatic way to do it, or some other workaround?

Answer 1

It would be advisable to have some sort of middle ware access the db and not your clients directly.

However if you want any IP to be able to connect to the db just add this entry to the firewall list:

Azure Portal -> Databases -> Servers -> Configure and add the following rule:

Answer 2

How will your users be accessing the DB, via a Web App (front end) or directly (I assume you won't give users direct access to your DB?), if its via a Web App (presentation layer) then all you need todo is grant access to this IP address of the presentation layer/service layer (and if hosted in Azure its beside it).

SQL DB Azure has two types of access restrictions (more info here) "Windows Azure SQL Database Firewall"

• Server-level firewall rules:
• Database-level firewall rules

You could either open up all IP address 0.0.0.0 - 255.255.255.255 (not very secure) or come up with more finer grained policies based on the above Database firewall rules.