[dba-SQLServer] [AccessD] Free cloud database

[Jim Lawrence]

Hi Arthur:

I would like to say I had done extensive product reviews on Cloud based databases but I haven't. Three pluses for Cloud based deployment; one, in theory any application run on a Cloud has access to multiple CPUs, two, data transfer is over high-speed broadband, three, RAM and capacity is limited by the account. 

I am sure all major Cloud suppliers have Firewall protection of one kind or another. Here is one method on how to implement Firewall protection for DigitalOcean:

https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/an-introduction-to-digitalocean-cloud-firewalls
http://do.co/2fVpZam

Of course there is extensive Cloud based security options:
https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/7-security-measures-to-protect-your-servers
http://do.co/2xvl06C

I must admit I know little or nothing about other Cloud based products as I have never actually played with them for more than a few hours. OTOH, I have actually owned and used a DigitalOcean droplet so I am a little prejudiced. I feel that in any situation it is best to first secure the network edge before securing the interior with encryption and the like.

Postgresql has full encryption as well as MySQL and MariaDB 
https://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/encryption-options.html
http://bit.ly/2zb4gUj

MD5 and SHA-256 are not my idea of a super level of encryption but Equifax or maybe even Yahoo sure could have used something, anything to protect their client's data...maybe even a password that any idiot couldn't hack.   

It would be fun to install MS SQL on a Cloud droplet and test it:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/linux/sql-server-linux-setup
http://bit.ly/2fYFQ7Z

And then there is MS SQL which also has full encryption:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/security/encryption/sql-server-encryption
http://bit.ly/2ycfwS8

But of course there are full additional measures in protecting a Cloud network
Most Cloud systems have Object storage. Here is DigitalOcean's bulk storage plans that can be initiated and added to:
https://www.digitalocean.com/products/object-storage/
http://do.co/2gpKQmT

Of course the connection speeds are high speed bandwidth. You can test here:
http://speedtest-sfo1.digitalocean.com/

There is of course many features like load balancing, fall over protection, managed SSL certificates, continuous online updates (no down time), DNS management, IPv6 capable, flexible IP addresses, server migration, a dozen of so distros to play with, hundreds of excellent tutorials and a lot more.  

Aside: If you wish to move a full Windows drive up to the Cloud first make a drive image using something like Disk2VHD (http://bit.ly/2hZglrk ...maximum 127GB image), convert it to a KVM supported image using QEMU (https://www.qemu.org/) using qemu-img convertor:
https://docs.openstack.org/image-guide/convert-images.html
http://bit.ly/2ye6YdH

Example: qemu-img convert -O qcow2 Hyper-V_Windows10.vhd KVM_Windows10.qcow2

...and then use KVM (a command line), Xen or Promox (really nice KVM or Xen GUI) to install, run, manage and fully automate image deployment. If installed on a Cloud the instance will most likely run faster than on a dedicated station and the foot-print is really small, in comparison to likes of VMWare and VirtualBox. I have setup an old XPWindows station, on a Linux box, under Proxmox (https://www.proxmox.com/en/), so I could save my Adobe nDesign licences. (It sounds simpler than what it was as existing Windows OS copy never likes to be moved around on different pieces of hardware.) In theory, someone can then deploy hundreds of instances in seconds but there of course is the licensing issues that should be contended with...but with a full-site license, an entire office, with hundreds of stations could be upgraded over night. ;-)

HTH

Jim
 
----- Original Message -----
From: "Arthur Fuller" gmail.com>
To: "Discussion concerning MS SQL Server" databaseadvisors.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 8, 2017 10:41:49 AM
Subject: Re: [dba-SQLServer] [AccessD] Free cloud database

I have no experience with any cloud database, and a bunch of questions, a
few of which I shall ask here and now.

1. How secure are the cloud databases I might launch? How many have been
hacked and on which platforms?
2. How does performance compare vis-a-vis an installation on a speedy local
server?
3. How do clouds back up themselves? Distributed instances? Some other
method?
4. Suppose I have a database comprising 30 GB, and growing by a GB a year.
What's that going to cost me? (I personally have no such DBs but a number
of clients do. Actually, one previous client has a DB comprising 30 GB at
installation, and anticipated growth is 10 GB per year.)

Even though this list is ostensibly about MS-SQL, I'm asking these
questions here without any preference for MS-SQL. I know a little about
MS-SQL but also PostGreSQL and MySQL and MariaDB, all of which have
significant cost advantages over MS-SQL and Oracle.

It seems that almost all the vendors offer a cloud-version. I don't have
the hardware resources to check them all out and design benchmarks. Have
any of you listers done comparisions, or failing that, can you point me to
published comparisons?

Thanks,
Arthur