Most developers I talk to aren’t asking whether Azure SQL Database can handle their next app. They’re asking where to start when it comes to modernization, migration, and AI in the database. If you’re reading this, you’re probably in a similar boat: you’ve got an existing schema or databases, a scaling question you haven’t had to answer yet, and a growing list of AI features you’re expected to have an opinion about.
That’s why we built the path we kept describing in calls, with customers, and in the community. The Azure SQL Database Foundations series are four videos that take you from your first Hyperscale database to AI features running against your own operational data. We also included how to assess and migrate (with AI and skills!) to Hyperscale in the first place, and the common optimizations you should consider. Every episode ships with a repo, so you can follow along in your own environment instead of watching someone else’s terminal.
The series
| # | Video | What you’ll get out of it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Get started with Azure SQL Database Hyperscale | How Hyperscale handles AI and analytics workloads on the SQL foundation you already know. |
| 2 | Migrate and optimize with Azure SQL Database Hyperscale | Migration in action. Modernize your SQL environment with AI and without application rewrites. |
| 3 | Optimize scale and performance with Azure SQL Database Hyperscale | Scale compute and storage independently, and tune for your actual workload. |
| 4 | Bring AI into your apps with Azure SQL Database Hyperscale | Build agentic AI apps with vector, RAG, and LLMs without moving data between systems. |
Watch the series: https://aka.ms/azuresqlfoundationseries
Get the repos: https://aka.ms/azuresqlfoundations
Then go deeper with the Developer Guide
The Azure SQL Database Foundations: Developer Guide picks up where the videos leave off, with GitHub repos for each section. Three things it covers:
- Deploy databases using modern DevOps practices. Provision and automate with Azure CLI, PowerShell, Bicep, ARM templates, and Terraform.
- Build AI-ready apps on operational data. Vector search and RAG, with Azure OpenAI, Semantic Kernel, LangChain, Azure AI Search, and Microsoft Fabric.
- Ship faster with modern data APIs. Data API Builder, SQL MCP Server, JSON support, and recent T-SQL enhancements.
Next steps
- Watch: Azure SQL Database Foundations series
- Build: Clone the repos and run the demos
- Read: aka.ms/SQLDBdevguide
- Try it (free): https://aka.ms/freesqldb
- Tell us what’s missing: we’ll post new videos on our channel based on your comments: https://aka.ms/microsoftsqlyt