Azure MySQL Database Replication for Qlik Sense - Costs saving and alternative

Question

Azure MySQL Database Replication for Qlik Sense - Costs saving and alternative

Vijay Ganji 141

I am trying to configure our Azure MySQL Database flexible server with Qlik Sense. As I understand that using Replication is only to have a database replica which can be used for Qlik Sense configuration instead of direct production database to be configured.

If there is some other way where we can set up a database replica for using in Qlik sense configuration apart from Replication of whole instance of Azure MySQL Database flexible server. We are using General Purpose so it is costing us around ~1400 Euros for year even for replica instance. In total for year it costs us ~3K euros for both production and replica secondary readable instance.

Please advise how to save cost in this case. Any alternatives for setting up Qlik Sense apart from Replication. Thanks

I already did a review of available options that I am aware of and reaching out for help to understand unknown options to save cost.

Manasa Akula 680 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-07T06:54:43.03+00:00

Hi Vijayakumar Ganji,

Greetings!

Do Qlik sense need constant access to the database?

If it's yes you can use, Azure MySQL Serverless:

Instead of using General Purpose, consider Azure MySQL Serverless. This can be much cheaper because it charges based on usage (i.e., you pay only for the compute and storage used).

This is ideal if Qlik Sense doesn't need constant access to the database.

It would only be active and incur costs when used, and idle times will cost much less.

If you are you planning for long-term cloud?

If it's yes you can use Reserved Capacity for Azure MySQL: (Long-Term Cost Savings):

Azure Reserved Capacity:

Reserved Capacity allows you to commit to a specific amount of Azure resources (like Azure MySQL) for a 1- or 3-year period. In return for this commitment, you get a discounted price for the resources.

How It Works: You select the service plan (e.g., Azure MySQL) and the resource level (e.g., number of vCores, storage, etc.) and commit to paying for these resources upfront for 1 or 3 years.

Cost Savings: By committing to these resources for a longer term, you can save up to 65% compared to pay-as-you-go pricing.

Flexibility: While you’re committing to a fixed resource set, you can adjust the resources within a specific limit, so it’s still somewhat flexible.

Data Warehousing Solutions: Consider using a data warehousing solution like Azure Synapse Analytics or Azure Data Lake. These services can store large amounts of data at a lower cost and can be integrated with Qlik Sense for analytics purposes. This approach can help you reduce the load on your primary database and save costs.

I hope this information helps you find a more cost-effective solution for your Qlik Sense setup. Please do let us know if you have any further queries.
Manasa Akula 680 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-08T01:30:27.4266667+00:00

Hi Vijayakumar Ganji

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.
Vijay Ganji 141 Reputation points

2025-04-08T13:43:34.4366667+00:00

Hi Manasa, thanks for the options. But we already have a MySQL database flexible server which is the main source of data for Qlik Sense. In this case how can I use serverless option which seems the best . Pls advise. We cannot have standalone serverless database because the application uses flexible server as production database. Thanks
Vijay Ganji 141 Reputation points

2025-04-09T21:39:06.31+00:00

Thanks Manasa. I Am going to check more on this and try deployment as you mentioned. Appreciate your time and help.

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Manasa Akula 680 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-07T06:54:43.03+00:00

Hi Vijayakumar Ganji,

Greetings!

Do Qlik sense need constant access to the database?

If it's yes you can use, Azure MySQL Serverless:

Instead of using General Purpose, consider Azure MySQL Serverless. This can be much cheaper because it charges based on usage (i.e., you pay only for the compute and storage used).

This is ideal if Qlik Sense doesn't need constant access to the database.

It would only be active and incur costs when used, and idle times will cost much less.

If you are you planning for long-term cloud?

If it's yes you can use Reserved Capacity for Azure MySQL: (Long-Term Cost Savings):

Azure Reserved Capacity:

Reserved Capacity allows you to commit to a specific amount of Azure resources (like Azure MySQL) for a 1- or 3-year period. In return for this commitment, you get a discounted price for the resources.

How It Works: You select the service plan (e.g., Azure MySQL) and the resource level (e.g., number of vCores, storage, etc.) and commit to paying for these resources upfront for 1 or 3 years.

Cost Savings: By committing to these resources for a longer term, you can save up to 65% compared to pay-as-you-go pricing.

Flexibility: While you’re committing to a fixed resource set, you can adjust the resources within a specific limit, so it’s still somewhat flexible.

Data Warehousing Solutions: Consider using a data warehousing solution like Azure Synapse Analytics or Azure Data Lake. These services can store large amounts of data at a lower cost and can be integrated with Qlik Sense for analytics purposes. This approach can help you reduce the load on your primary database and save costs.

I hope this information helps you find a more cost-effective solution for your Qlik Sense setup. Please do let us know if you have any further queries.
Manasa Akula 680 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-08T01:30:27.4266667+00:00

Hi Vijayakumar Ganji

We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if you have a resolution yet. In case if you have any resolution please do share that same with the community as it can be helpful to others. Otherwise, will respond with more details and we will try to help.
Vijay Ganji 141 Reputation points

2025-04-08T13:43:34.4366667+00:00

Hi Manasa, thanks for the options. But we already have a MySQL database flexible server which is the main source of data for Qlik Sense. In this case how can I use serverless option which seems the best . Pls advise. We cannot have standalone serverless database because the application uses flexible server as production database. Thanks
Vijay Ganji 141 Reputation points

2025-04-09T21:39:06.31+00:00

Thanks Manasa. I Am going to check more on this and try deployment as you mentioned. Appreciate your time and help.

Answer 1

Hi Vijayakumar Ganji

As you've mentioned is about how to leverage serverless options for your Qlik Sense data source, given that you're already using MySQL Flexible Server as the main production database for the application. Additionally, you mentioned that you cannot have a standalone serverless database because the application depends on the Flexible Server as its production database.

For this here is a clearer explanation:

To take advantage of serverless options while still using MySQL Flexible Server as the production database, with the goal of optimizing costs and scaling infrastructure without disrupting your production environment, you can implement a hybrid architecture. This will involve incorporating serverless features in areas that don't affect your critical transactional workloads but help reduce costs and scale your system as needed.

Replicate Data to Serverless Databases for Read-Heavy Workloads

Flexible Server for Production:

Your MySQL Flexible Server will remain your primary production database that handles transactional operations, ensuring the stability and performance of your core application.

Serverless Database for Reporting/Analytics:

For workloads that are more read-heavy and do not require real-time data from the production database, you can replicate data to a serverless database. This will allow you to scale based on demand and optimize costs.

This is How you can Implement:

Data Replication:

Set up replication from your Flexible Server to a serverless database (such as Azure SQL Database Serverless, or a MySQL-compatible serverless option). Use MySQL's native replication or managed services (like Azure Database Migration Service) to sync data from your production environment to the serverless database. HELPS:
Your production MySQL Flexible Server remains isolated, while the serverless database handles the read-heavy, analytical, or reporting queries. The serverless database scales based on the amount of compute required for queries, ensuring cost efficiency during periods of low demand.
Use Qlik Sense with Serverless Database: Connect Qlik Sense to the serverless database to run analytical queries and generate reports. This avoids overloading the production MySQL Flexible Server with reporting queries while providing the flexibility to scale during peak reporting times.

Benefits:

Cost Optimization: You pay only for the compute resources used by the serverless database, helping you reduce costs during periods of low demand.
Scalability: The serverless database can automatically scale resources based on demand, ensuring it can handle heavy reporting or query workloads when needed without having to provision fixed resources.
Optimize costs by scaling resources only when needed (e.g., using serverless databases that scale automatically).
Ensure stability and performance for your production database by isolating it from read-heavy or heavy computation tasks.
Scale infrastructure efficiently with serverless features without the need to provision dedicated servers for each workload.
This strategy balances the flexibility and cost benefits of serverless computing with the stability and control of your Flexible Server for critical production data.

I hope this information helps you find a more cost-effective solution for your Qlik Sense setup use serverless option for flexible server. Please do let us know if you have any further queries.

Manasa Akula 680 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-10T00:49:49.4466667+00:00

Hi Vijayakumar Ganji,

Just checking in to see if the above answer helped, If this answers your query, do click "Accept the answer” for the same, which might be beneficial to other community members reading this thread. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

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Azure MySQL Database Replication for Qlik Sense - Costs saving and alternative

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