What is the Easiest way to copy a database to/from SQL Azure?
The answer: use SQL Server 2012 Moving a SQL database to and from your PC to SQL Azure used to be a horrendous nightmare. With the new functionality in SQL Server 2012 and the Azure portal, this is now a breeze with just a few clicks. You are not required to learn or understand data-tier applications or BACPAC, the underlying method used in the import/export. This article assumes you already have an Azure subscription up and running. The functionality in SQL Server is actually the SQL Server Data Tools . However, it is totally invisible once it is installed. Download it here . Deploying An On-Premise SQL Database to SQL Azure Let's start with moving a database from your PC to Azure. First of all, your on-premise database can use only those features supported by SQL Azure . To deploy a database in SQL Server 2012 is pretty easy and fast. In SSMS Object Explorer, right click your database and select Deploy Database to Sql A zure... under T asks: ...