SQL Azure Backup

As of July 2011 SQL Azure does not contain any inbuilt backup options.

The closest to an inbuilt backup functions is support for the TSQL Database Copy command which produces a transactionally complete copy of a database.

Coming in 2010, Azure will deliver two backup methods – Clone and Continuous Backup. Clone (targeted for release in H1 2010) allows for a transactionally consistent ‘clone’ to be made of a database, once a clone is created it is a totally separate database with no relations to the ‘parent’ database. Continuous Backup (targeted for release in H2 2010) is similar to a mirror and is configured with a retention period and a lag time. Continuous Backup copies will be read-only. These will be be add-ons to the standard SQL Azure service and will incur an additional fee which was has not yet been announced.