Azure Data Studio Retirement
We’re announcing the upcoming retirement of Azure Data Studio (ADS) on February 6, 2025, as we focus on delivering a modern, streamlined SQL development experience. ADS will remain supported until February 28, 2026, giving developers ample time to transition. This decision aligns with our commitment to simplifying SQL development by consolidating efforts on Visual Studio Code (VS Code) with the MSSQL extension, a powerful and versatile tool designed for modern developers. Why Retire Azure Data Studio? Azure Data Studio has been an essential tool for SQL developers, but evolving developer needs and the rise of more versatile platforms like VS Code have made it the right time to transition. Here’s why: Focus on innovation VS Code, widely adopted across the developer community, provides a robust platform for delivering advanced features like cutting-edge schema management and improved query execution. Streamlined tools Consolidating SQL development on VS Code eliminates duplication, reduces engineering maintenance overhead, and accelerates feature delivery, ensuring developers have access to the latest innovations. Why Transition to Visual Studio Code? VS Code is the #1 developer tool, trusted by millions worldwide. It is a modern, versatile platform that meets the evolving demands of SQL and application developers. By transitioning, you gain access to cutting-edge tools, seamless workflows, and an expansive ecosystem designed to enhance productivity and innovation. We’re committed to meeting developers where they are, providing a modern SQL development experience within VS Code. Here’s how: Modern development environment VS Code is a lightweight, extensible, and community-supported code editor trusted by millions of developers. It provides: Regular updates. An active extension marketplace. A seamless cross-platform experience for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Comprehensive SQL features With the MSSQL extension in VS Code, you can: Execute queries faster with filtering, sorting, and export options for JSON, Excel, and CSV. Manage schemas visually with Table Designer, Object Explorer, and support for keys, indexes, and constraints. Connect to SQL Server, Azure SQL (all offerings), and SQL database in Fabric using an improved Connection Dialog. Streamline development with scripting, object modifications, and a unified SQL experience. Optimize performance with an enhanced Query Results Pane and execution plans. Integrate with DevOps and CI/CD pipelines using SQL Database Projects. Stay tuned for upcoming features—we’re continuously building new experiences based on feedback from the community. Make sure to follow the MSSQL repository on GitHub to stay updated and contribute to the project! Streamlined workflow VS Code supports cloud-native development, real-time collaboration, and thousands of extensions to enhance your workflows. Transitioning to Visual Studio Code: What You Need to Know We understand that transitioning tools can raise concerns, but moving from Azure Data Studio (ADS) to Visual Studio Code (VS Code) with the MSSQL extension is designed to be straightforward and hassle-free. Here’s why you can feel confident about this transition: No Loss of Functionality If you use ADS to connect to Azure SQL databases, SQL Server, or SQL database in Fabric, you’ll find that the MSSQL extension supports these scenarios seamlessly. Your database projects, queries, and scripts created in ADS are fully compatible with VS Code and can be opened without additional migration steps. Familiar features, enhanced experience VS Code provides advanced tools like improved query execution, modern schema management, and CI/CD integration. Additionally, alternative tools and extensions are available to replace ADS capabilities like SQL Server Agent and Schema Compare. Cross-Platform and extensible Like ADS, VS Code runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring a consistent experience across operating systems. Its extensibility allows you to adapt it to your workflow with thousands of extensions. If you have further questions or need detailed guidance, visit the ADS Retirement page. The page includes step-by-step instructions, recommended alternatives, and additional resources. Continued Support With the Azure Data Studio retirement, we’re committed to supporting you during this transition: Documentation: Find detailed guides, tutorials, and FAQs on the ADS Retirement page. Community Support: Engage with the active Visual Studio Code community for tips and solutions. You can also explore forums like Stack Overflow. GitHub Issues: If you encounter any issues, submit a request or report bugs on the MSSQL extension’s GitHub repository. Microsoft Support: For critical issues, reach out to Microsoft Support directly through your account. Transitioning to VS Code opens the door to a more modern and versatile SQL development experience. We encourage you to explore the new possibilities and start your journey today! Conclusion Azure Data Studio has served the SQL community well,but the Azure Data Studio retirement marks an opportunity to embrace the modern capabilities of Visual Studio Code. Transitioning now ensures you’re equipped with cutting-edge tools and a future-ready platform to enhance your SQL development experience. For a detailed guide on ADS retirement , visit aka.ms/ads-retirement. To get started with the MSSQL extension, check out the official documentation. We’re excited to see what you build with VS Code!Unlocking More Power with Flexible Memory in Azure SQL Managed Instance
As data workloads grow in complexity and scale, so does the need for more adaptable and performant database infrastructure. That’s why we’re excited to introduce a new capability in Azure SQL Managed Instance: Flexible Memory, now entering public preview. What Is Flexible Memory? Flexible Memory allows you to customize the memory-to-vCore ratio in your SQL Managed Instance, giving you the ability to fine-tune performance and cost based on your workload needs. This feature is part of the next-generation General Purpose tier, and it introduces a memory slider that lets you scale memory independently within defined limits. The memory slider is enabled only for premium series hardware. Why It Matters Traditionally, memory allocation in SQL Managed Instance was fixed per vCore. With Flexible Memory, you can now: Increase memory beyond the default allocation Optimize for memory-intensive workloads without overprovisioning compute Pay only for what you use — additional memory is billed per GB/hour This flexibility is especially valuable for scenarios like analytics, caching, or workloads with large buffer pool requirements. How It Works Memory scales based on the number of vCores and the selected hardware tier: Hardware Tier Memory per vCore (GB) Standard-series 5.1 Premium series 7–12 Premium series (memory-optimized) Up to 13.6 You can select from predefined memory ratios (e.g., 7, 8, 10, 12 GB per vCore) depending on your configuration. For example, a 10 vCore instance can be configured with 70 GB to 120 GB of memory. One of the most powerful aspects of the Flexible Memory feature is the ability to select from a range of memory-to-vCore ratios. These “click stops” allow you to tailor memory allocation precisely to your workload’s needs — whether you’re optimizing for performance, cost, or both. The table below outlines the available configurations for Premium Series hardware, showing how memory scales across 16 vCore sizes: vCores Available Ratios Total Memory Options (GB) 4 7, 8, 10, 12 28, 32, 40, 48 6 7, 8, 10, 12 42, 48, 60, 72 8 7, 8, 10, 12 56, 64, 80, 96 10 7, 8, 10, 12 70, 80, 100, 120 12 7, 8, 10, 12 84, 96, 120, 144 16 7, 8, 10, 12 112, 128, 160, 192 20 7, 8, 10, 12 140, 160, 200, 240 24 7, 8, 10, 12 168, 192, 240, 288 32 7, 8, 10, 12 224, 256, 320, 384 40 7, 8, 10, 12 280, 320, 400, 480 48 7, 8, 10 336, 384, 480 56 7, 8 392, 448 64 7 448 80 7 560 96 5.83 560 128 4.38 560 Pricing model Flexible Memory introduces a usage-based pricing model that ensures you only pay for the memory you actually consume beyond the default allocation. This model is designed to give you the flexibility to scale memory without overcommitting on compute resources - and without paying for unused capacity. How it works: Default memory is calculated based on the minimum memory-to-vCore ratio Billable memory is the difference between your configured memory and the default allocation. Billing is per GB/hour, so you’re charged only for the additional memory used over time. Let’s take an example of SQL Managed Instance running on premium series hardware with 4 vCores and 40GB of memory. Configuration Value vCores 4 Configured Memory 40 GB Default Memory (4 × 7 GB) 28 GB Billable Memory 12 GB Billing Unit Per GB/hour Charged For 12 GB of additional memory Important note: Additional memory is provided free of charge until September 1 st. Management Experience Changing memory behaves just like changing vCores: Seamless updates via Azure Portal or API Failover group guidance remains the same Upgrade secondary first Configurations between primary and secondary should match Adjusting the memory is fully online operation, with a short failover at the very end of it. The operation will go through the process of allocating the new compute with specified configuration, which takes approximately 60 minutes, with new faster management operations. API Support Flexible Memory is fully supported via API (the minimal API version that can be used is 2024-08-01) and Azure Portal. Here’s a sample API snippet to configure memory: { "properties": { "memorySizeInGB": 96 } } Portal support Notice: Changes in Azure portal are being rolled out. In the meantime, you can use API for trying out the feature. Summary The new Flexible Memory capability in Azure SQL Managed Instance empowers you to scale memory independently of compute, offering greater control over performance and cost. With customizable memory-to-vCore ratios, a transparent pricing model, and seamless integration into existing management workflows, this feature is ideal for memory-intensive workloads and dynamic scaling scenarios. Whether you're optimizing for analytics, caching, or simply want more headroom without overprovisioning vCores, Flexible Memory gives you the tools to do it - efficiently and affordably. Next Steps Review the Documentation: Explore detailed configuration options, supported tiers, and API usage. Additional memory Management operations overview Management operations duration Test Your Workloads: Use the memory slider in the Azure Portal or API to experiment with different configurations.Faster Management Operations in Azure SQL Managed Instance
We are excited to introduce a faster management operations experience that offers greater elasticity for Azure SQL Managed Instance, improving the speed and efficiency of managing your resources. The new experience ensures that your database infrastructure can scale and adapt swiftly to meet the dynamic demands of your business. What are faster management operations? Offering an elastic and responsive cloud service isn’t just about ensuring a smooth sailing customer experience. It’s about providing users with the highest degree of flexibility, allowing them to have as much governance over their resources as possible. Giving users a prompt way to manage their resources allows for greater efficiency and adaptability to dynamic workflows. Instant availability and acquisition of resources is what makes all the difference. Faster management operations bring enormous improvements, making it easier and faster to create and update your instances, while giving you the flexibility to closely align your database configuration with your workload needs. By improving underlying processes, like creating the virtual cluster and allocating resources, we managed to significantly cut down the time it takes to deploy or update your instances. The following is an outline of the improvement that faster management operations brings: Previous experience Faster management operations Deployment 30 minutes (limited only to default configurations) 4h for non-default configurations 30 minutes for any configuration Scaling 4h for any kind of scale operation 60 minutes for any kind of scale operation This means you can adapt quickly to fluctuating demands, keep your systems running smoothly, and make the most of your resources—all while reducing the effort involved in managing your infrastructure. Note: Faster management operations do not apply to zone redundant (ZR) instances. Deployment: Spin up instances in less than 30 Minutes Deploying Azure SQL Managed Instance is now faster and easier than ever. With the enhanced provisioning process, you can have your instance up and running in less than 30 minutes, no matter the configuration of the instance you are provisioning or your existing network setup. This kind of rapid scalability is essential when preparing for predictable, high-demand events—like Black Friday or major product launches. By leveraging horizontal scaling, you can proactively provision additional instances ahead of time to handle the anticipated surge in traffic. This ensures your services remain stable and responsive under pressure, avoiding performance bottlenecks or downtime. With the right planning, you can maintain a seamless user experience even during peak loads, keeping operations smooth and customer satisfaction high. It's also highly beneficial for teams working on testing and development. For instance, when launching new features or making system updates, having the ability to rapidly set up environments for testing and development allows teams to experiment without the usual delays. They can create and tear down instances as needed, run simulations, and automate tasks more efficiently, reducing operational overhead. This reduces the time spent on setup and allows teams to focus on actual development or testing, leading to faster delivery of products and improvements while also freeing up resources. Updates: Streamlined Modifications in less than 60 Minutes This feature offers you the flexibility to easily update your SQL Managed Instance resources, whether you're scaling compute power, adjusting storage, or changing service tiers. These updates are now executed quickly—typically in under 60 minutes—so you can keep your systems running smoothly without long disruptions. For example, consider a scenario where you have an instance that’s optimized to handle around 70-80% of its capacity during regular business hours. This setup ensures you're using resources efficiently without over-provisioning. However, if your system unexpectedly experiences a spike in demand—such as a sudden influx of users during a busy period or a promotion—you can quickly scale up your instance to handle the extra load. Once traffic returns to normal, you can scale back down, ensuring that you’re only using and paying for the resources you need at any given time. This approach tightly aligns your capacity with your workload, helping to avoid unnecessary costs while ensuring your systems remain responsive. These improvements make it simple to match your database setup to your business needs. Whether you’re preparing for a busy product launch or anticipating a seasonal rush, scaling resources up or down in real time allows you to maintain optimal performance without breaking the bank. This ability to adjust resources quickly and efficiently keeps your systems cost-effective and ready for whatever challenges come your way. Notice: Operations within the Business Critical service tier require data seeding due to its reliance on local storage architecture. As a result, tasks such as compute scaling or storage modifications may take longer to complete. This extension is primarily caused by the seeding process, which increases in duration proportionally with the size of the database. Real-World Impact: Customer Benefits The enhanced Faster management operations capabilities for Azure SQL Managed Instance translate into tangible advantages for businesses, enabling them to scale and adapt swiftly to meet dynamic demands. Key Benefits: Increased Elasticity: Rapid provisioning and updates allow businesses to scale resources in response to real-time demands, facilitating quick adaptation to changing workloads. Cost Optimization: Efficient operations reduce the need for over-provisioning, optimizing resource utilization and enabling businesses to align costs with actual usage. Enhanced User Experience: Faster deployment and update times minimize disruptions, time and staff occupation, leading to improved service availability and seamless user experience. Improved Business Continuity: Rapid scaling capabilities ensure that businesses can maintain performance levels during peak periods, reducing the risk of service degradation or throttling. Who will benefit from this? This enhancement benefits all SQL Managed Instance (SQL MI) customers, especially: IaaC Users (e.g., Terraform, Bicep): Automate and streamline deployment processes with faster management operations, achieving greater efficiency and consistency. Cost Optimization Seekers: Quickly adjust resource allocation to match workload, ensuring cost-effectiveness by paying only for what is needed. Elasticity Users for Usage Peaks: Rapidly scale resources to handle fluctuating workloads, maintaining system responsiveness during peak periods. CI/CD Process Users: Facilitate faster development cycles and efficient testing with reduced time for resource provisioning and updates. Here is an example of a cost-saving benefit for cost optimization seekers: A 6 vCore instance is necessary to manage your workload during weekdays (Monday to Friday). However, the workload decreases on the weekend. Therefore, it is logical to scale down the instance on Friday and then scale it back up on Monday. You would scale the instance down to the minimal acceptable capacity that corresponds to the reduced workload. Next gen General Purpose service tier, Gen5 Hardware instances with 6 vCores and 4 vCores, along with 2TB of storage are under consideration. Comparison Table Scenario vCore configuration Time billed Monthly cost No scaling (Stay at 6 vCores all week) 6 vCores 24 hours/day, 30 days/month $1,350 Scaling down to 4 vCores (weekend) 6 vCores (Mon–Fri) 24 hours/day, 5 days/week $900 4 vCores (Fri–Mon) 24 hours/day, 2 days/week $300 Monthly savings — — $150 Note: The prices are approximate and for demonstration purpose only. Availability Faster management operations feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance is now in General Availability. This means that the enhanced provisioning and updating capabilities are fully integrated and available on all service tiers for all customers. The feature is seamlessly incorporated into all management operations, requiring no additional configuration in the Azure portal and incurring no extra charges. It does not apply to Zone Redundant Instances. Summary The Faster management operations feature in Azure SQL Managed Instance significantly enhances the speed and efficiency of managing database resources. It allows for rapid deployment of instances in under 30 minutes and updates in less than 60 minutes, optimizing resource utilization and reducing operational overhead. This capability ensures businesses can swiftly adapt to changing demands, maintain high availability, and improve overall performance and cost efficiency. Useful links: What is Azure SQL Managed Instance? - Azure SQL Managed Instance | Microsoft Learn Quickstart: Create Azure SQL Managed Instance - Azure SQL Managed Instance | Microsoft Learn Management operations overview Management operations duration
Free SQL Managed Instance offer is now generally available
We are thrilled to announce the General Availability of the free offer for Azure SQL Managed Instance – making it easier than ever to explore the power of a fully managed, cloud-native SQL Server experience. With the GA release, you can now utilize a General Purpose or Next-Gen General Purpose (preview) Azure SQL Managed Instance at no cost for up to 12 months. With support for up to 500 databases, you can: Build applications with functionalities such as cross-database queries, Evaluate strategies to migrate your SQL Server applications to Azure, Explore some of the state-of-the-art PaaS capabilities like automated backups, availability, and more [1] . What’s included in the free offer The free SQL Managed Instance Offer includes: One General Purpose or Next-Gen General Purpose (preview) SQL managed instance per subscription. 720 vCore hours every month (renews every month, unused credits are lost). 64 GB of data storage. SQL license for the instance. Automatically backed up databases retained for up to 7 days. Default workday start/stop schedule from 9-5 to ensure frugal utilization of your free credits. Creation of up to 500 databases [1] The instance is automatically stopped when you reach the monthly vCore limit. If the start/stop schedule is set on the instance the next scheduled start succeeds when credits are available gain. Review vCore hours spending You can review your current available free credit on the Overview page of the Azure SQL Managed Instance in the Azure Portal. Simply open your free SQL managed instance resource page and observe the remaining credits, as illustrated in the following image: Upgrade If you want to upgrade your free SQL managed instance to production-ready instance with SLA, navigate to the Compute + Storage pane for you free instance, choose the Paid offer and click apply to save your changes. Disclaimer: These costs are estimates only. Actual charges may vary depending on region and configuration. Get started Have you already tried the free Azure SQL Managed Instance? If yes, feel free to share your feedback with the product team – aka.ms/sqlmi-free-feedback. If you still haven’t, follow these simple steps to get started in less than 5 minutes: Create Azure SQL Managed Instance Apply Free Offer – look for the “Want to try SQL MI for free?” banner and select “Apply” Select an existing resource group, or create a new one. Select “Review and create” to finish creating the instance. You’re now ready to explore the capabilities of Azure SQL Managed Instance! 😊 Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to experience Azure SQL Managed Instance for free! Learn more about the offer and get started today – aka.ms/freesqlmi [1] – Limitations might apply. Learn more about free offer limits.Introducing Azure SQL Managed Instance Next-gen GP
The next generation of the general purpose service tier for Azure SQL Managed Instance is a major upgrade that will considerably improve the storage performance of your instances while keeping the same price as current general purpose tier. Key improvements in the next generation of general purpose storage include support for 32 TB of storage, support for 500 DBs, lower storage latency, improved storage performance, and the ability to configure the amount of IOPS (I/O operations per second).
Enhanced Server Audit for Azure SQL Database: Greater Performance, Availability and Reliability
We are excited to announce a significant update to the server audit feature for Azure SQL Database. We have re-architected major portions of SQL Auditing resulting in increased availability and reliability of server audits. As an added benefit, we have achieved closer feature alignment with SQL Server and Azure SQL Managed Instance. Database auditing remains unchanged. In the remainder of this blog article, we cover Functional changes Changes Affecting customers Sample queries Call for action Implementation and Notification Time-based Filtering Functional Changes In the current design when server audit is enabled, it triggers a database level audit and executes one audit session for each database. With the new architecture, enabling server audit will create one extended event session at the server level that captures audit events for all databases. This optimizes memory and CPU and is consistent with how auditing works in SQL Server and Azure SQL Managed Instance. Changes Affecting Customers Folder Structure change for storage account Folder structure change for Read-Only replicas Permissions required to view Audit logs One of the primary changes involves the folder structure for audit logs stored in storage account containers. Previously, server audit logs were written to separate folders, one for each database, with the database name serving as the folder name. With the new update, all server audit logs will be consolidated into a single folder which is ‘Master’ folder. This behavior is the same as Azure SQL Managed Instance and SQL Server For Read-Only database replicas, which previously had their logs stored in a read-only folder, those logs will now also be written into the Master folder. You can retrieve these logs by filtering on the new column ‘is_secondary_replica_true’. Please note that the audit logs generated after deployment will adhere to the new folder structure, while the existing audit logs will stay in their current folders until their retention periods expire. Sample Queries To help you adopt these changes in your workflows, here are some sample queries: Current New To Query audit logs for a specific database called "test" SELECT * FROM sys.fn_get_audit_file ('http://testaudit.blob.core.windows.net/sqldbauditlogs/auditpoc/test/ SqlDbAuditing_ServerAudit_NoRetention/2023-01-29/07_06_40_590_0.xel', default, default) SELECT * FROM sys.fn_get_audit_file ('http://testaudit.blob.core.windows.net/sqldbauditlogs/auditpoc/master/SqlDbAuditing_ServerAudit_NoRetention/2023-01-29/07_06_40_590_0.xel', default, default) WHERE database_name = 'test'; To query audit logs for test database from read only replica SELECT * FROM sys.fn_get_audit_file ('http://testaudit.blob.core.windows.net/sqldbauditlogs/auditpoc/test/SqlDbAuditing_ServerAudit_NoRetention/2023-01-29/RO/07_06_40_590_0.xel', default, default) SELECT * FROM sys.fn_get_audit_file ('http://testaudit.blob.core.windows.net/sqldbauditlogs/auditpoc/master/SqlDbAuditing_ServerAudit_NoRetention/2023-01-29/07_06_40_590_0.xel', default, default) WHERE is_secondary_replica_true = 'true'; Permissions Control database on user database Server admin privileges Implementation and Notifications We are rolling out this change region-wise. Subscription owners will receive notifications with the subject “Update your scripts to point to a new folder for server level audit logs” for each region as the update is implemented. It is important to update any scripts that refer to the folder structure to retrieve audit logs based on the database name for the specific region. Note that this change applies only to server-level auditing; database auditing remains unchanged. Call for Action These actions apply only to customers who are using storage account targets. No action is needed for customers using Log Analytics or Event hubs. Folder references: Change the reference for audit logs from the database name folder to the Master folder and use specific filters to retrieve logs for a required database. Read -Only Database Replicas: Update references for audit logs from the Read-Only replica folder to the Master folder and filter using the new parameter as shown in the examples. Permissions: Ensure you have the necessary control server permissions to review the audit logs for each database using fn_get_audit_file. Manual Queries This update also applies to manual queries where you use fn_get_audit_file to retrieve audit logs from the storage account Time-based filtering To enhance your ability to query audit logs using filters, consider using efficient time-based filtering with the fn_get_audit_file_v2 function. This function allows you to retrieve audit log data with improved filtering capabilities. For more details, refer to the official documentation here.ZSTD compression in SQL Server 2025
Introducing ZSTD Compression in SQL Server 2025: A Leap Forward in Data Efficiency With the release of SQL Server 2025 Preview, we are introducing a powerful new feature that promises to significantly enhance data storage efficiency: support for the Zstandard (ZSTD) compression algorithm. This open-source compression technology, originally developed by Yann Collet at Facebook, is now being integrated into SQL Server as a modern alternative to the long-standing MS_XPRESS compression algorithm. What is ZSTD? ZSTD is a fast, lossless compression algorithm that offers a compelling balance between compression ratio and speed. It has gained widespread adoption across the tech industry due to its: High compression ratios — often outperforming legacy algorithms like MS_XPRESS. Fast decompression speeds — ideal for read-heavy workloads. Scalability — tunable compression levels to balance CPU usage and storage savings. Compression in SQL Server: Then and Now SQL Server has long supported data compression to reduce storage costs and improve I/O performance. The MS_XPRESS algorithm, used in row and page compression, has served well for many years. However, as data volumes grow and performance demands increase, a more efficient solution is needed. Enter ZSTD. Key Benefits of ZSTD in SQL Server 2025 Improved Compression Ratios In internal benchmarks, ZSTD has shown up to 30–50% better compression compared to MS_XPRESS, depending on the data type and structure. This translates to significant storage savings, especially for large data warehouses and archival systems. Faster Decompression ZSTD’s optimized decompression path ensures that queries on compressed data remain fast, even as compression ratios improve. Flexible Compression Levels SQL Server 2025 allows administrators to choose from multiple ZSTD compression levels, enabling fine-tuned control over the trade-off between CPU usage and compression efficiency. Seamless Integration ZSTD is integrated into the existing compression framework, meaning you can apply it using familiar T-SQL syntax and management tools. How to Use ZSTD in SQL Server 2025 Using ZSTD is as simple as specifying it in your compression options. Examples: Default compression of MS_XPRESS: Specify ZSTD during BACKUP: BACKUP DATABASE <database_name> TO {DISK|TAPE|URL} WITH COMPRESSION (ALGORITHM = ZSTD) Specify ZSTD and compression level: BACKUP DATABASE <database_name> TO {DISK|TAPE|URL} WITH COMPRESSION (ALGORITHM = ZSTD, LEVEL=HIGH) The default compression level is LOW. Allowed values are LOW, MEDIUM and HIGH. As you would expect, specifying HIGH compression level takes longer compared to LOW compression level. How to verify which compression algorithm was used: You can use the RESTORE HEADERONLY command to verify which compression algorithm was used during the backup. The CompressionAlgorithm column will display the name of the algorithm. Comparing compression levels: A quick look at the file sizes shows the ZSTD does show some savings. Additionally, a higher level of compression is achieved when LEVEL=HIGH is specified. Final Thoughts While the actual savings from the new compression algorithm varies based on the nature of data and amount of resources available, in general we have seen significant improvements in compression. The integration of ZSTD into SQL Server 2025 marks a significant step forward in data compression technology. Whether you're managing terabytes of transactional data or optimizing your data lake for analytics, ZSTD offers a modern, efficient, and high-performance solution. Looking forward to hearing your feedback. SQL Server 2025 brings a ton of new features and capabilities. Refer to Whats new in SQL 2025 for all the excitement. Cheers DinakarFree SQL MI Public Preview Refresh
[Edit May 2025] The free SQL Managed Instance is now Generally Available. Azure SQL Managed Instance is a scalable cloud database service that's always running on the latest stable version of the Microsoft SQL Server database engine and a patched OS with 99.99% built-in high availability, offering close to 100% feature compatibility with SQL Server. PaaS capabilities built into Azure SQL Managed enable you to focus on domain-specific database administration and optimization activities that are critical for your business while Microsoft handles backups, as well as patching and updating of the SQL and operating system code, which removes the burden on managing the underlying infrastructure. Learn more about Managed Instance here. In addition to expanding eligible subscription types, you can also upgrade your managed instance tier from free to production ready with full SLA in 2 clicks. Additionally, you can now see exactly how many free vCore hours you have left. What's new Previously, Free SQL Managed Instance was available to the following subscriptions: Pay-as-you-go (0003P) Azure in CSP (0145P) Today, we’re adding the following subscriptions to the list: Azure Plan (0017G) Enterprise Agreement Support Microsoft Azure EA Sponsorship (0136P) Visual Studio Professional subscribers (0059P) Visual Studio Test Professional subscribers (0059P) Visual Studio Enterpise subscribers (0063P) Pay-As-You-Go Dev/Test (0023P) Enterprise Dev/Test (0148P) Azure in Open Licensing (0111P) To upgrade your SQL Managed Instance to production ready instance with SLA, go to Compute + Storage blade and select Paid offer and click apply: You can see the full cost of your instance in the cost card before you upgrade it so you are informed as to what you will be paying monthly. If you are not ready to upgrade your experience yet, you can track the number of remaining Free vCore hours in the essentials blade: What Do You Get Free SQL Managed Instance details: General Purpose instance with up to 100 databases 720 vCore hours of compute every month (does not accumulate) 64 GB of storage One instance per Azure subscription The instance is automatically stopped when you reach the monthly vCore limit; managed instance starts automatically when credits are available again, or you can manually stop it to preserve free monthly vCore hours How to Get Started Getting started is a breeze. Follow these simple steps: Visit Azure portal: Head to the provisioning page for Azure SQL Managed Instance Apply Free Offer: Look for the "Want to try Azure SQL Managed Instance for free?" banner and click on the "Apply offer" button Select Resource Group: Choose an existing resource group or create a new one Configure Instance: Set up your instance details, including region, authentication method, networking, security, and additional settings Review and Create: Review your settings, then click "Create" to set up your free instance And just like that, you're ready to explore the capabilities of Azure SQL Managed Instance! Connect Seamlessly to Your Instance Connecting to your instance is a breeze, whether you have a public endpoint enabled or disabled: Public Endpoint Enabled: Copy the Host value from the Azure portal, paste it into your preferred data tool, and connect. Public Endpoint Disabled: Choose to create an Azure VM within the same virtual network or configure point-to-site for connection. Did you know? Replicate your on-prem databases to Free SQL Managed Instance via Managed Instance link Your newly created Free SQL Managed Instance starts empty and you might want to add some data to it to proceed with your Managed Instance evaluation. One way to do this is to use Managed Instance link to replicate databases from your SQL Server on-prem or Azure Virtual Machine. Maximize savings with Start/Stop schedule To conserve credits, your free instance is scheduled to be on from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday in your configured time zone. Modify the schedule to fit your business requirements. For more information check out the documentation page.
