Lesson Learned #14: Is it possible to upload a SQL server backup to an Azure database

First published on MSDN on Jan 09, 2017
Hello Everyone,

We received a multiple times the question about if is it possible to upload a SQL server backup (.bak) to an Azure database? and our answer is not, right now. However, you have a multiple options that allows you to import the database from SQL Server OnPremise to Azure SQL Database, you could find the answer in this URL .

Related to this one, our customers asked about once we have our database in Azure SQL Database if is it possible to migrate an Azure database to an on premise server?, our answer is yes:

Basically,

• You need to export the data to a BACPAC file using this URL , even, you could use other tools like these ones:
  
  
  
  • SQL SERVER Management Studio
  
  
  • SQL Package
  
  
  • PowerShell
  
  
  
  


• To import the data from a BACPAC file you could use:
  
  
  
  • SQL Server Management Studio
  
  
  • SQL Package
  
  
  
  

Instead of exporting/importing every time, if you need to maintain the data synchronized, also, you could use Transactional replication from SQL Server OnPremise/IaaS to Azure SQL Database.