Microsoft Azure provides a range of managed, secured, and fully scalable database services that support open-source database systems. Opting for these services allows organizations to focus on optimizing their applications rather than managing databases. This article will highlight some of these Azure database services that are used for different open-source database systems, which should be quite beneficial for anyone preparing for the DP-900 Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals exam.
Azure for PostgreSQL
Azure for PostgreSQL is a fully managed database service that uses the open-source Postgres database engine. This service provides capabilities to handle mission-critical workloads with predictable performance, security, high availability, and dynamic scalability.
Azure for PostgreSQL is offered in two deployment options:
- Flexible Server: Offers predictable performance and cost, zone redundant high availability, and flexible maintenance window settings.
- Single Server: Provides built-in high availability and automated backups at no extra cost.
To create an Azure Database for PostgreSQL server, the “az postgres server create” command is used following the Azure CLI.
Azure for MySQL
Azure for MySQL is a fully managed relational database service powered by the MySQL community edition. This is available to developers and businesses, ideal for various applications like business-critical transactional apps and data warehousing.
Here are the two deployment models:
- Flexible Server: Gives superior control and cost efficiency, and is better suited for a production environment.
- Single Server: A go-to option for apps under development and test scenarios.
Azure for MariaDB
Azure for MariaDB is a fully managed relational database service that facilitates the rapid development and scaling of applications using the MariaDB open-source database engine. The service offers built-in high availability, automatic backups, and elastic scaling for read-heavy workloads.
Azure for MariaDB is only available in the single server deployment option with the ability to scale compute in the form of virtual cores, storage resources, and memory on-the-fly, without application downtime.
Azure Cosmos DB’s API for MongoDB
Azure Cosmos DB’s API for MongoDB provides a turnkey globally distributed, multi-model database service for managing apps at planet-scale. It’s designed for high-speed reads and writes, scalability, high availability and is compatible with MongoDB.
Azure Cosmos DB’s API for MongoDB automatically indexes all data and allows you to use your existing MongoDB SDKs and tools by providing wire protocol level compatibility.
Azure Cache for Redis
Azure Cache for Redis is an in-memory data structure store, used as a database, cache and message broker. It supports a variety of data structures, including strings, lists, maps, sets, sorted sets with range queries etc.
Azure Cache for Redis offers up to 9 TB cache size, superior throughput, and network bandwidth. It aids in faster data processing in real-time applications.
In conclusion, Microsoft Azure offers a wide array of managed database services for open-source systems such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB and Redis. These services can handle most of the administrative tasks like updates, patching, backups, recovery, and scaling, allowing you to concentrate more on the application development than on the database management. Whether you are a developer or a database administrator, a good understanding of these services will not only provide you with various options to cater to your application needs but will also help you clear exams like DP-900 Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals.
Practice Test
True or False: Azure Cosmos DB offers managed services for NoSQL databases.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure Cosmos DB is Microsoft’s globally distributed, multi-model database service for managing data at planet-scale.
Single Select: Which Azure Database service is compatible with the open source MySQL databases?
- a. Azure SQL Database
- b. Azure Cosmos DB
- c. Azure Database for MySQL
- d. Azure Database for PostgreSQL
Answer: c. Azure Database for MySQL
Explanation: Azure Database for MySQL provides a managed database service for app development and deployment that allows you to stand up a MySQL database in minutes and scale on the fly.
True or False: Azure SQL Database service is a compatible open source database system service.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure SQL Database is a relational database service based on the Microsoft SQL Server engine and it is not an open-source database system.
Single Select: Which Azure Database service is used to manage PostgreSQL databases?
- a. Azure Cosmos DB
- b. Azure Database for PostgreSQL
- c. Azure SQL Database
- d. Azure Database for MySQL
Answer: b. Azure Database for PostgreSQL
Explanation: Azure Database for PostgreSQL is a fully managed database service for app development and deployment with compatibility with community edition PostgreSQL databases.
Multiple Select: Select the Azure database services that are compatible with open source databases.
- a. Azure SQL Database
- b. Azure Database for MySQL
- c. Azure Cosmos DB
- d. Azure Database for PostgreSQL
Answer: b. Azure Database for MySQL, d. Azure Database for PostgreSQL
Explanation: Azure Database for MySQL and Azure Database for PostgreSQL are Microsoft’s fully managed database services that provide compatibility with the respective open-source databases.
True or False: Azure Cosmos DB offers compatibility for PostgreSQL databases.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure Cosmos DB is a multi-model database service that does not specifically cater to PostgreSQL databases. Azure Database for PostgreSQL is the service intended for this purpose.
Single Select: The Azure Database for _______ is Microsoft’s fully managed, intelligent, and flexible relational database service offering the broadest SQL Server engine compatibility.
- a. Oracle
- b. MySQL
- c. PostgreSQL
- d. SQL
Answer: d. SQL
Explanation: Azure SQL Database is Microsoft’s intelligent, scalable, and relational database service offering extensive SQL Server engine compatibility.
Multiple Select: Azure offers managed open-source databases for which of the following?
- a. MySQL
- b. MongoDB
- c. PostgreSQL
- d. Oracle
Answer: a. MySQL, b. MongoDB, c. PostgreSQL
Explanation: Azure offers managed database services for MySQL (Azure Database for MySQL), MongoDB (Azure Cosmos DB’s API for MongoDB), and PostgreSQL (Azure Database for PostgreSQL). Oracle is not included in Azure’s offering for managed open-source databases.
True or False: Microsoft does not offer managed services for MariaDB.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure provides a fully managed MariaDB database service, known as Azure Database for MariaDB.
True or False: Azure does not support open-source databases.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure offers several fully managed database services for popular open-source databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MariaDB, among others.
True or False: Azure Database for PostgreSQL provides in-memory performance with unlimited scale, and speed.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure Database for PostgreSQL is a fully managed database service for app development and deployment, but it does not provide in-memory performance with unlimited scale. Azure Cosmos DB is for global distribution and horizontal scale-out.
Single Select: Azure Database for ______ is a relational database service based on the Microsoft SQL Server engine.
- a. MySQL
- b. PostgreSQL
- c. SQL
- d. MariaDB
Answer: c. SQL
Explanation: The Azure SQL Database is a relational database service based on the Microsoft SQL Server engine. It’s not an open-source database.
Interview Questions
What is Azure Database for MySQL?
Azure Database for MySQL is a fully managed, enterprise-ready community MySQL database service for app development and deployment. It allows users to easily lift and shift to the cloud, using languages and frameworks of their choice, with high availability and security built-in at no extra cost.
What Azure service allows you to work with fully managed, community PostgreSQL?
Azure Database for PostgreSQL is a service that offers fully managed, enterprise-ready community PostgreSQL databases in Azure.
Can Azure Database for MariaDB interact with NoSQL databases?
No. Azure Database for MariaDB does not directly support NoSQL databases. MariaDB is an open-source relational database management system, primarily SQL-based.
Does Azure Cosmos DB provide support for open-source APIs including MongoDB and Cassandra?
Yes, Azure Cosmos DB offers compatibility with MongoDB, Cassandra, Gremlin, and SQL API endpoints, allowing developers to use their existing skills and software libraries to build new applications.
What is Hyperscale (Citus) in Azure Database for PostgreSQL?
Hyperscale (Citus) is a new deployment option for Azure Database for PostgreSQL that scales out Postgres horizontally. It transforms Postgres into a distributed database and allows it to scale across multiple machines.
What open-source databases does Azure support?
Azure supports various open-source databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MariaDB.
Does Azure provide managed database services for both SQL and NoSQL databases?
Yes, Azure provides managed services for both SQL and NoSQL databases. For SQL databases, Azure offers Azure SQL Database, Azure Database for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MariaDB. In NoSQL, Azure offers Cosmos DB.
What are the key features of Azure Database for MariaDB?
Azure Database for MariaDB offers built-in high availability, support for popular open-source frameworks, elastic scaling for performance, and industry-leading security and compliance.
Are these Azure Database services for open-source databases Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) or Platform as a Service (PaaS)?
Azure Database for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MariaDB are Platform as a Service (PaaS) offerings. They provide automated management of the underlying infrastructure and database software, allowing you to focus on the data and application layer.
Is Azure Cosmos DB a multi-model database service?
Yes, Azure Cosmos DB is a multi-model database service. It can be used to manage data of various types – key-value, graph, document, column-family, and many more.
What benefits does Azure offer for open-source databases?
Azure provides several benefits for open-source databases including fully managed services, scalability, high availability, security, built-in monitoring tools, and flexible pricing models.
Can you use ACID transactions in Azure Cosmos DB?
Yes, you can use ACID transactions in Azure Cosmos DB.
Does Azure Database for MySQL support the InnoDB storage engine?
Yes, Azure Database for MySQL supports the InnoDB storage engine.
What is the purpose of Azure Cost Analysis for open-source databases?
Azure Cost Analysis helps you get clarity on where you’re incurring costs in your cloud environment, identify spending patterns over time, and take action on underutilized resources to save money. It’s a tool that helps you monitor and control your Azure spending and optimize resource use.
What is Flexible Server in Azure Database for PostgreSQL?
Flexible Server is a deployment option for Azure Database for PostgreSQL that provides better control and flexibility, cost optimization capabilities, and increased performance.
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