SQL Azure Backup & Restore strategy

Question

We have a web based (ASP.NET MVC) application that uses SQL Server 2008 for its database.

Because the data is important to us (and our clients), we have a Backup & Restore strategy in place which, in a nutshell, looks like this:

-Weekly: Full database backup
-Nightly: Differential backup
-Hourly: Log backup

The strategy we use was greatly influenced by listening to a webcast done by Kimberly Tripp (which can be viewed here: https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?culture=en-US&EventId=1032278589&CountryCode=US).

Question:

Since we are looking into moving the database to SQL Azure, I wanted to know if anyone has put in place a similar Backup & Restore strategy within SQL Azure.

Has anyone encountered any known issues with trying to put in place a Backup & Restore strategy with Azure?

Thanks for any help on this.

Answer 1

Backup/restore is a whole different animal in SQL Azure as the traditional backup/restore commands are not available. See the article SQL Azure Backup and Restore Strategy for a good overview and then read Copying Databases in SQL Azure. Also take a look at redgate's (beta) third party tool for SQL Azure Backup.

EDIT: Adding a reference to a new blog post that appeared today (Sept 29, 2011): Data backup strategies for Windows and SQL Azure