SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines is 100% compatible with on-premises SQL Server. That means migration can be as simple as transferring a current SQL Server database instance to the Azure ...

Joey on SQL Server Top Tips To Make SQL Server Run Faster on Azure VMs Storage and performance can be quite different in the cloud. It's important to choose the right VM size and configure your ...

Microsoft defines an Azure resource as a "specific instance of an Azure service, such as a virtual machine, web app, or SQL Database," per this Microsoft document.

The service is currently in preview for SQL Databases from version 2012 and up, SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines.

Microsoft encourages users to move to SQL Server 2014 or Azure SQL Database, but those aren’t the only options. Either way, the transition is going to take some time.