SQL Data Services

I have tried to keep an open mind regarding SQL Data Services, I'm just having a hard time with it.

What it is:
"SQL" database in the cloud. Microsoft will host your data as on demand storage, targeting small companies. You can play with up to 10G for free, but once you exceed that limit you will need a Service Level Agreement. Data is queried thru an SDS Explorer, which is more like LINQ than SQL.


Pros:
* If you have a small business with a need for a SQL database and no budget for a DBA, I can see where this may be a good fit.

* Pay as you grow pricing schedule.

* No hardware costs


Cons:
* Limited security. Microsoft does not recommend storing sensitive data such as financial information and/or identity info (SS#'s, etc.)

* Limited backups

* SDS Explorer has no Intellisense

* No T-SQL, Stored Procedures, Triggers, etc.

* No linked servers


My Opinion:
As a SQL Developer, the fact that you cannot write T-SQL against the data should tell you immediately that this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Aside from not being able to write my beloved Stored Procedures, the thing that hurts is the lack of restores. As developers, how many times have we had a user load in something from another application into our database, directly followed by, "oops"? The idea behind the "data in the cloud" with no restores is that we will write our applications so that they are idiot proof. Everything should be timestamped, so that at anytime you could easily undo any "oops".

So, if you are planning on changing your legacy applications to SDS, I would advise against that. However, if you are looking at a new development project for a small company, this may be the answer.

Note that there are reasons Microsoft is targeting small companies. They know that this will not work for large corporations with sensitive data. If I called them up right now and told them I wanted to negotiate a Service Agreement for SDS to store my SAP data, they would not only refuse to take my money, they would probably hang up on me.

On a positive note, Azure and SDS go hand in hand - and even a SQL guru like me will gladly write something using both one day when I get the time, to test the waters, for the challenge, because this is the age of cloud computing and one day I will be forced to embrace it - but not today. lol.