SQL Azure Data Sync Update

It’s been a while since we announced SQL Azure Data Sync CTP2 and I wanted to provide an update on how CTP2 is progressing as well as an update on the service in general.

Late last year at PDC we announced CTP2 and started accepting registrations for access to the preview release. In mid-December we started providing access to the service and have continued to work our way through the registrations, adding more users. We recently made a few updates to the service as a direct result of feedback we’ve received; bug fixes and a number of usability enhancements.

We’ve seen huge interest in CTP2, so much so that we may not be able to give everyone who registered access to the preview. We are going to continue to process registrations throughout March, but for those of you that do not get access we will be releasing CTP3 this summer and will make that preview release open to everyone. Feel free to continue to register for CTP2 as that will allow us to email you as soon as CTP3 becomes available.

While on the subject of CTP3, here are some of the new features planned:

  • A new user interface integrated with the Windows Azure portal.
  • The ability to select a subset of columns to sync as well as to specify a filter so that only a subset of rows are synced.
  • The ability to make certain schema changes to the database being synced without having to re-initialize the sync group and re-sync the data.
  • Conflict resolution policy can be specified.
  • General usability enhancements.

CTP3 will be the last preview, before the final release later this year. We’ll announce the release dates on this blog when available.

Finally, here are some links that may be helpful:

Best wishes, Mark