Stopping SQL Azure DB when not in use

azure azure-sql-database azure-management
Matt picture Matt · Nov 18, 2014 · Viewed 62.8k times · Source

Is there any way to stop a SQL Azure DB so that it doesn't charge anything towards our account? I don't want to delete it, just while in testing and it's not being used than we set it to "stopped" like we can do with websites, cloud services, and VMs.

Answer

Shiva picture Shiva · Feb 6, 2017

As of 10th November, 2020, The answer is No.

They won't allow it. So the billing will continue for your Azure Database starting the day you create it. There really is no way to pause / stop billing for your Azure SQL Database.

Official Source: feedback.azure.com Please add ability to temporarily turn off/on SQL Azure server to pause billing

Microsoft's official answer appears to be "Yes, you can export your database. Delete the Azure SQL database and that will pause billing. Then when you need it you can create a new database and import your previously expored DB."

I don't believe this is acceptable as an answer for "Allow me to temporarily turn off SQL Server to save on my billing"

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