If you've used Azure in the past, you probably know that there are two main ways to deploy SQL Server on Microsoft's cloud-Azure SQL Database, the PaaS offering; and Azure VMs running SQL Server.
Azure SQL vs SQL Server in 2026: compare cost, features, AI, and migration paths, plus when Managed Instance beats Azure VM in one clear framework.
If you are an old hand at Microsoft SQL Server, you have probably used the SQL Server Agent (i.e., SQL Agent) service and MSDB database for the last 20 years. With a humble and largely unchanged ...