• BCP using the .exe bulk load/export tool.
• SSIS
• Bulk API’s in ADO.NET and ODBC (see below).
• Third Party Tools
• Sync Framework

BCP

BCP is probably the fastest way to move the data. BCP is a command line tool introduced with SQL Server 2005 SP1 which allows for copying data in and out of SQL Server. The tool uses standard TSQL Syntax conventions.
// BCP example

SET SRV=aserver.database.windows.net

SET LOGIN=judo@someserver

SET PW=something

SET S_DR=C:flats

bcp TPCH2.dbo.supplier in %S_DR%supplier.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|”

bcp TPCH2.dbo.nation in %S_DR%nation.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|”

bcp TPCH2.dbo.region in %S_DR%region.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|”

bcp TPCH2.dbo.customer in %S_DR%customer.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|”

bcp TPCH2.dbo.part in %S_DR%part.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|“

bcp TPCH2.dbo.supplier out %S_DR%supplier.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|”

bcp TPCH2.dbo.nation out %S_DR%nation.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|”

bcp TPCH2.dbo.region out %S_DR%region.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|”

bcp TPCH2.dbo.customer out %S_DR%customer.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|”

bcp TPCH2.dbo.part out %S_DR%part.tbl -c -U %LOGIN% -P %PW% -S %SRV% -t “|”

ADO.NET Bulk Copy API:

// Bulk data import

using (SqlBulkCopy bulk = new SqlBulkCopy(new SqlConnection(conn))

{

DestinationTableName = “dbo.data”,

BatchSize = 2000, // Transaction size (length)

BulkCopyTimeout = 10000, // Transaction timeout

NotifyAfter = 1000, // Progress callback

})

{

bulk.SqlRowsCopied += new SqlRowsCopiedEventHandler(

myProgressCallback);

bulk.WriteToServer(sourceDataReader);

}

Third Party Tools

Currently the primary third party tool for migration is the SQL Azure Migration Wizard

Using SQL Azure

SQL Azure is still in CTP , the SQL Azure Database CTP is available for free and you can register below to receive an invitation. Due to high demand for the SQL Azure Database CTP, there may be some delays in receiving your invitation codes. http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=149681&clcid=0×09

Editions & Pricing

There are two editions for SQL Azure, namely Web and Business. While self-managed DB and auto high-availability features are supported in both editions, there are few differences between them.

Main difference is the storage, as the Web edition supports only 1 GB of database storage space and the Business edition supports 10GB. In case you need to store more that 10GB of data, you will have to break the databases into small sizes. Apart from basic T-SQL facilities, there will additional features like auto-partition and CLR in the business edition. However, these features are not yet available in CTP.

Upon the availability of production ready SQL Azure, the fee will be as below:

•Web Edition: Up to 1 GB relational database = $9.99 / month

•Business Edition: Up to 10 GB relational database = $99.99 / month

•Bandwidth = $0.10 in / $0.15 out / GB

Using SQL Azure Databases

As there are no options in the web interface to create tables or databases, you will need to use other tools for creating and designing Azure based databases:

SQLcmd

SQLcmd is supported on SQL Azure and you can connect to an Azure database using the below command.

C:>sqlcmd -U <User> -P <PPassword> -S <ServerName> -d master

Management Studio

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is the most frequently used tool to connect to SQL Server databases. However, when connecting to SQL Azure there several additional steps you need to follow.

1. Open SSMS

2. Cancel out of the first connection dialog that pops up and click on the New Query button from the toolbar. If you enter credentials without performing this step the following error will appear: (Microsoft is working on this issue).

3. When you are prompted to connect to a database, cancel that dialog.

4. You should be left with an empty management console. Click New Query.

5. For the server name, take the fully qualified host name from your SQL Azure connection string. It should look something like mlqe0vurwb.database.windows.net.

6. Choose SQL Server Authentication as SQL Azure does not support Windows Authentication. Supply the username and password that you used for your database.

7. Click on the Options button on the bottom right of the dialog box

8. Set the database name, manually, to the name of your database. It will not show up in the drop-down list. Please note that in case you need to connect other databases, you have to connect again.

9. Make sure the server type is set to the database engine.

10. Click Connect.

For SQL Azure SSMS does to show the objects in the Object Explorer and you will need to write T-SQL for all your needs.

Visual Studio

You can view the connection strings for the relevant databases by clicking the Connection String button.

Using above connection strings, you can connect to SQL Azure from Visual Studio.

?

Third Party Tools:

As demonstrated, SSMS may not be a good tool for SQL Azure. There are couple of third party tools that I have been working with:

Omega Web Client

Omega Web Client has a great set of functionalities. It has a great object explorer. You can access this tool online at https://onlinedemo.cerebrata.com/SQLAzureClient/default.aspx and therefore no installation is needed.

Below is the main view of the UI that you will see from this tool.

SQL Azure Manager

SQL Azure Manager is another tool which supports SQL Azure. However there are quite number of draw backs which will be discussed later.

You can download this tool from http://hanssens.org/tools/sqlazuremanager/.

The SQL Azure Manager UI is much better than SSMS or the Omega web client.

Though SQL Azure Manager has a much better UI than SSMS 2008 or Omega, it is still lacking a lot of features in the object explorer. For example, it shows the views in object explorer, but does not allow the user to create the alter script for a view. Also, it does not display stored procedures or functions in the object explorer and can only show data of tables with the dbo schema.

SSIS & SQL Azure

SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is used to integrate data between different data sources.

The first thing to note is that SQL Azure currently does not support OLE DB. The normal recommendation for SSIS is to use the OLE DB Source or Destination to access SQL Server. However, if you want to work with SSIS and SQL Azure, you must use the ADO.NET Source and Destinations. This is fine for 2008, but if you are using SSIS 2005, there is no ADO.NET Destination, so you will have to implement your own through a script component. This can be done by creating a source or destination and then using the SSIS control flow tasks and data flow tasks.

After it will be the standard way of write SSIS packages.

When using SSIS for SQL Azure, tables without a clustered index are not supported hence you are required to create a clustered index.