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How to export an Azure SQL database?

苏钰 20 Reputation points
2025-12-21T12:23:01.5733333+00:00

How to export an Azure SQL database?

如何导出azure的SQL数据库？

  • 我已阅读过相关文档，搜索相关问题，问过AI，均没找到解决方案 I have reviewed the official documentation, searched for related issues, and consulted AI tools, but I have not been able to find a viable solution.

问题背景：

Background

  • 我是学生，正在使用Azure for student订阅服务，而服务刚好过期（达到订阅限额）。订阅达到限制后，该订阅资源组下的全部内容被标记为“只读”，不能进行操作。 I am a student using the Azure for Students subscription, which has expired after reaching the subscription spending limit.After the subscription limit is reached, all resources within the subscription’s resource groups are marked as “Read-only” and cannot be modified or operated.
  • 我没有visa/mastercard，无法绑定付款方式，自然也无法在Azure中生成新订阅 I do not have a Visa or Mastercard, so I am unable to add a payment method or create a new Azure subscription.
  • 我的无服务器SQL挂载在该订阅下，现在处于“只读”状态 My serverless Azure SQL database is hosted under this subscription and is currently in a “Read-only” state.

问题描述：

我希望获取该数据库的备份文件，以便我迁移并重建数据库，但是订阅限额似乎阻止了我这么做。

Problem Description：

I would like to obtain a backup file of this database so that I can migrate and rebuild it in another environment. However, the subscription limit appears to prevent me from performing any backup or export operations.

我已经尝试：

Attempts Made：

  1. 按照copilot的方式，在SSMS中导出 因为SSMS需要连接数据库，但是服务器已经无法启动，失败。 Exporting via SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), following Copilot’s suggestion. This attempt failed because SSMS requires an active connection to the database, but the database server can no longer be started.
  2. 在Azure使用储存账户形式导出 由上述原因，student订阅被只读，我也无法创建新订阅，故无法创建储存账户并备份，失败 Exporting via an Azure Storage Account Because the student subscription is in a read-only state and I cannot create a new subscription, I am unable to create a storage account. Therefore, this method also failed.
  3. 其他的一些方法，位于learn.microsoft.com 这些似乎都需要连接到数据库，故失败 Other methods described on learn.microsoft.com. However, these methods also require a working database connection, which is not available in my current situation, so they failed as well.
Azure SQL Database
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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous
2025-12-22T06:59:37.35+00:00

Hi @苏钰

It sounds like you're in a tricky situation with your Azure SQL database being in a read-only state due to your student subscription reaching its limit. Unfortunately, this indeed restricts your ability to perform backup and export operations directly.

Given the circumstances, here are a few points to consider:

Options for Exporting Your Azure SQL Database:

Using the Azure Portal:

  • Typically, you would log into the Azure portal, navigate to your SQL server instance, select your database, and use the Export option to create a BACPAC file. However, since your resources are in a read-only state, this will not be an option for you.

SQLPackage Utility:

  - It is a command-line tool that facilitates exporting your Azure SQL Database to a BACPAC file. However, this requires an active connection to the database as well. As you've stated that your SQL Server can't be started, this option may not be feasible for you right now.
  
     - Check [Export to a BACPAC file documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/database-export?view=azuresql) for guidance on using SQLPackage.
     
     **Contacting Support**:
     
        - Since you've exhausted your options and cannot create a new subscription or access the necessary resources, the best course of action would be to reach out to Azure Support for assistance. They may be able to help you recover the database or offer another solution given your educational context.

Follow-Up Questions:

To provide a more tailored response or solution, I would recommend clarifying a few things:

  • Have you reached out to Azure Support regarding your expired subscription and the inability to perform the export or backup?
  • Are there any deadlines for your project that might put pressure on finding a solution swiftly?
  • Have you considered any alternative subscriptions that may offer flexibility for students, such as Azure for Education renewals or other offers?

I hope this gives you a better sense of direction on how to approach your database issue! If you have more questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask!

References:

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2 additional answers

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  1. Erland Sommarskog 134.3K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2025-12-21T13:23:59.1666667+00:00

    There are some free subscriptions where credits are added regularly. For instance, I have a Visual Studio subscription with this characteristic, so if overrun my credits and everything is shut down, I regain access when new credits are added. But I don't know about this Azure Student Subscription. If that is a one-time offer, there will be no new credits.

    And in that case, I'm afraid that the only way to get access to the database is provide a credit card that can be debited.

    Was this answer helpful?

  2. AI answer

    2025-12-21T12:23:12.7566667+00:00

    To export an Azure SQL database, you can use several methods, but all of them require that the database is in a writable state. Since your subscription has reached its limits and the resources are marked as read-only, you will not be able to perform any export operations directly. Here are the common methods to export an Azure SQL database:

    1. SQLPackage Utility: This command-line utility allows you to export a database to a BACPAC file. You can run it with parameters specifying the database connection and export file location. However, this requires an active connection to the database.
    2. Azure Data Studio: This tool provides a graphical interface for exporting databases using the SQL Server dacpac extension. Again, this requires the database to be accessible.
    3. SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS): SSMS includes a wizard for exporting databases to BACPAC files. This also requires a connection to the database.
    4. Azure Portal: You can export the database directly from the Azure portal, but this method also requires the database to be in a writable state.

    Since your database is currently in a read-only state due to the subscription limits, you will need to resolve the subscription issue to regain access to the database before you can export it. Unfortunately, without an active subscription or a way to create a new one, exporting the database will not be possible.

    If you regain access to the database, you can follow the methods mentioned above to export it successfully.

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