synchronize local database to SQL Azure database

Question

Local express edition SQL Server store employee attendance in and out time

My application running in Azure cloud and finger print machine cannot connect Azure sql database directly.

whenever record inserted into local db at the same time i want to update sql azure db as well.

how to achieve this ?

Please suggest me.

Askar

Answer 1

The easiest way is to use SQL Data Sync: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/hh456371.aspx

SQL Data Sync is in preview so it's not backed by an SLA or Microsoft Support. It's fine for non-production applications. I've used it on some fairly large jobs (millions of rows across 30 tables).

Here is how to get started with SQL Data Sync: http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/documentation/articles/sql-database-get-started-sql-data-sync/

Although it does not mention SQL Express, it works. You just have to change the connection string appropriately.

SQL Data Sync can be configured to run automatically at set intervals as low as 5 minutes.

Answer 2

SQL Data Sync is really an easy way to go, but you should consider the risks already mentioned here.

Be advised that SQL Data Sync only works if your database has less than 500 tables.

Answer 3

Unfortunately at this point (being Nov 2014) SQL Sync is no longer continued and thus discouraged. Manual approach has to be taken at this point, for example jobs/stored procedures run at the local server that sync with the linked server being the Azure SQL instance.