AdvancedEnterprise
Hybrid On-Prem + Cloud DR
Maintain control of on-prem data while leveraging the cloud for geographically distributed disaster recovery.
Recommended Edition
SQL Server Enterprise / Standard
Version
2022
Best For
Disaster recovery across regions
Required Components
- On-prem SQL Server
- Azure VPN/ExpressRoute
Optional Add-ons
- Azure Site Recovery
- Always On to Azure VM
Hardware / Cloud Recommendations
- Robust on-prem hardware
- High-bandwidth internet connection
Licensing Notes
Software Assurance required for passive failover benefits.
Backup Recommendation
Backup to URL (Azure Blob Storage).
Monitoring Recommendation
Unified hybrid dashboard.
SQLDevDBA's Take
An often-overlooked architecture that gives you the best of both worlds: on-prem control with cloud-based disaster recovery. If you have Software Assurance, the passive Azure VM failover target is essentially free.
Startup Checklist
- Download SQL Server installer from Microsoft (microsoft.com/sql-server/downloads)
- Install the SQL Server Database Engine
- Create a DBAAdmin database to house admin and maintenance scripts
- Enable the Dedicated Admin Connection (DAC) via sp_configure
- Configure and validate automated backup jobs
Security Checklist
- Encrypted VPN or ExpressRoute for hybrid connectivity
- Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) on all databases
- Disable or deny the SA (System Administrator) login
- Configure Windows Firewall rules for SQL Server (TCP 1433)
Additional (Optional) Checklist
- Install dbatools PowerShell module (dbatools.io) for automation and migrations
- Install Brent Ozar's First Responder Kit (sp_Blitz, sp_BlitzFirst, sp_BlitzIndex)
- Install Adam Machanic's sp_WhoIsActive for real-time active session monitoring
- Install Erik Darling's performance scripts (sp_PressureDetector, sp_HumanEvents)
- Install Ola Hallengren's Maintenance Solution for backups, integrity checks, and index maintenance
Architecture Diagram
Available in the Pro tier. Visual diagrams for every setup.