All I can say is I'm pretty sure that it does, but I have personally never used Azure SQL Server. Azure, as far as I'm aware, is just Microsoft's "wrapper" for their online SQL Server interface. Just like WinHost has their own wrapper, their own web interface to set things up and configure them. Once you have the server set up, then you will use the SQL Server Management Studio, which is the same between both versions. But again, I have to say upfront that I've never used Azure SQL Server before. However, if you purchase the seminar and are completely unable to figure things out, then I will give you a merchandise credit for what you pay. If that's the case, in fact, if you have that much difficulty, let me know, and I will set up an Azure SQL Server account myself and figure out what the differences are.

I asked ChatGPT what the differences are, and basically, Azure has a bunch of additional features added on top of it like additional security, disaster recovery, and things of that nature. But, as far as I can tell, once the database is set up, it's going to work exactly the same as any other hosted SQL Server setup.

Yes, there are some notable differences between using SQL Server through a hosting provider like Winhost and using Azure SQL Database, Microsoft's cloud-based SQL service. While both offer access to SQL Server capabilities, the environment, features, and pricing models can vary significantly. Here's an overview of the key differences:

1. **Managed Service**: Azure SQL Database is a fully managed platform-as-a-service (PaaS) database engine that handles most of the database management functions like patching, backups, and monitoring automatically. In contrast, using SQL Server on a traditional hosting environment might require more manual management for these tasks, depending on the level of service provided by the host.

2. **Scalability**: Azure SQL Database provides more flexible scalability options compared to traditional hosting. You can easily scale up or down your database's compute and storage resources in Azure without downtime, which is ideal for applications with variable workloads. This is often more challenging in a traditional hosting environment, where scaling usually requires more planning and potential downtime.

3. **Pricing Model**: Azure SQL Database uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model that can vary based on the resources consumed (e.g., DTUs for the Basic, Standard, and Premium service tiers, or vCores and storage in the General Purpose, Hyperscale, and Business Critical tiers). Traditional hosting providers typically offer fixed pricing plans that include specific allocations of resources, which might be more predictable but less flexible in terms of scaling.

4. **High Availability and Disaster Recovery**: Azure SQL Database offers built-in high availability and automatic backups, ensuring that your databases are always up and that data is protected against loss. Implementing similar levels of redundancy and backup in a traditional hosting environment might require additional configuration and expense.

5. **Security Features**: Azure SQL Database provides advanced security features such as Azure Active Directory authentication, Transparent Data Encryption, Advanced Threat Protection, and Data Masking. While some of these features are available in SQL Server, utilizing them in a hosted environment might not be as straightforward or might require additional setup and maintenance.

6. **Integration with Azure Services**: Azure SQL Database seamlessly integrates with other Azure services, such as Azure Functions, Logic Apps, and Machine Learning, allowing for easier development of sophisticated, scalable applications. This level of integration might not be as readily available or might require more manual setup with a traditional hosting provider.

In summary, while the underlying SQL Server technology is similar, Azure SQL Database offers a managed, scalable, and flexible cloud environment that is integrated with Microsoft's cloud ecosystem, making it a powerful choice for businesses looking to leverage cloud capabilities fully. However, the choice between Azure and a traditional hosting provider like Winhost will depend on your specific requirements, including management preferences, budget, scalability needs, and integration with other services.

So kind of like going from Access 2003 to Access 2021... the core program is the same, but the interface is a little different, so if you absolutely cannot figure it out, let me know.

Rick, thanks for the very detailed response & offer to assist if I get really stumped. :)  Looking at the syllabus, I think that after I get past lesson 2, I should be alright moving through the rest of the seminar.  And since you so kindly offer the first two lessons free, I'll give it a whirl and post back my findings/results.

"To explore strange new worlds..."

Yeah, those first 2 lessons are to make sure that people can at least get their database set up online and make sure that's working before they invest in the rest of the seminar. Anyways, so if you can get to that point, you should be good to go because after that, it's literally just connecting Access to the SQL Server, which should be the same no matter what platform your server is running on.

MS Article: Connecting to Azure SQL Database (AccessToSQL)

cool, thanks Alex!

Wanted to give you guys a follow up.  I successfully created a testing SQL server in Azure and two small databases that are identical.  The reason for the identical db's is to study the cost difference between vCore & DTU, so we'll see how that goes.  Azure provides an easy link to get the db's connection string, and I figured out how to link the tables via VBA in Access.  So, given a successful few days of playing around w/ Azure SQL server, I'll be signing up for the seminar.  Thanks again for the offer to help Rick!

Awesome. Keep me posted on your progress! :)