Selecting the Right Storage for SQL Server High Availability in the Cloud

Azure and AWS Storage Options for SQL Server HA

The BetaNews article “Selecting the Right Storage for SQL Server High Availability in the Cloud” by SIOS Senior Technical Evangelist Dave Bermingham discusses how to choose appropriate cloud storage for deploying SQL Server with high availability (designed to deliver at least 99.99% uptime) across major cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services.

Dave explains that traditional shared or lower-tier disk options are generally too slow for high-performance SQL Server environments and instead highlights suitable storage choices—such as Azure Premium SSD v2 or Ultra Disk and AWS GP2/GP3 volumes—while weighing performance, cost, and configuration differences. The piece also covers how storage choices intersect with high availability approaches like SQL Server Availability Groups or third-party SANless clustering, and how these decisions, along with virtual machine sizing and licensing considerations, affect overall cost and performance of a highly available cloud deployment.

Reproduced with permission from SIOS