Microsoft Azure SQL Database is a relational database service in Microsoft Azure based on the Microsoft SQL Server engine, with almost all the mission-critical capabilities of SQL Server. Windows Azure SQL Database is designed to deliver highly available and scalable database as a service with predictable performance, business continuity, and data protection capabilities. SQL Database is a platform as a server offering, and it requires very little administrative overhead and can significantly reduce the time-to-market for applications requiring database backend support. Since the service is based on the SQL Server engine, it works with most of the SQL Server tools and APIs available, making it easier to migrate existing applications to Azure.