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sql-serverazureazure-storagefiletable

Can Microsoft Azure SQL Server utilize FileTable / Blob Storage?

Background/Problem

I'm trying to do something along the lines of the following but can't find it documented:

  • SQL Azure Database (not VM)
  • Hook it up to some (blob) storage
  • Utilize FileTables to store files to the db/filesystem

Clarification: Rough Architecture

This is what I'm thinking:

   +--------------------+
   | Queue for Requests |
   | For File Packages  |
   +---------+----------+
             |
             |
  +----------v-----------+
  |Worker Role           |
  |Grabs Files to Package|
  +-----------+----------+
              |
              |
     +--------v-------+            +--------------+
     |SQL Azure       |<----------+|Web Site      |
     |Using FileTable |            |Saves to Azure|
     +----------------+            +--------------+
              +
              |
              |
              v
 +--------------------------+
 |RAID 0 Striping -- 500 GB |
 |------------+-------------|
 |            |             |
 | 250 GB     |      250 GB |
 | Disk 1     |      Disk 2 |
 +------------+-------------+

Question

Is this setup possible, and if not, why not?

I have been looking everywhere but without actually paying for a Windows Azure account it's hard to find out ahead of time.

Solution

  • No, SQL Azure does not support filetable, nor filestreams. You can store your files in Azure Blob Storage (see How to use the Windows Azure Blob Storage Service) and store metadata about files (name, type, URL location) in SQL Azure DB.

    For a list of SQL Server feature limitations in Windows Azure SQL Database refer to Azure SQL Database Transact-SQL information.

    For a list of ALTER DATABASE options supported by Windows Azure SQL Database refer to ALTER DATABASE (Transact-SQL).