Azure is Microsoft’s cloud computing platform that offers a wide range of services, including databases, virtual machines, and analytics tools. For SQL developers, Azure provides tools like Azure SQL Database and Azure Data Studio, which make it easy to build and scale applications in the cloud.
Even though Azure is built with enterprise scenarios in mind, Azure SQL provides a flexible platform for SQL developers and students to learn, prototype, and experiment in the cloud.
Below are the steps I used to sign up with Azure. I did this in order to take advantage of the free SQL database offer (which provides free access to a SQL database for life). But for the purpose of this article, we’ll look solely at the sign up process, as you’ll need to do this regardless of whether you’re doing the free SQL database thing.
Creating your Azure Account
These are the steps that I used to create an Azure account. Microsoft is notorious for shuffling its webpages around, so if you’re reading this at a later date, it’s not out of the question that Microsoft may have moved a page here or there. Either way, it shouldn’t be too hard to find the main Azure page and go from there.
So let’s go ahead and create the account.
Go to Microsoft’s Azure page:
Click the “Get started with Azure” button (or similar, if it changes in the future). Clicking this link took me to a page that allows me to choose an Azure account:
I clicked “Try Azure for free” but you can choose the option that suits you. This took me to the Microsoft Sign-in page:
Sign in with your existing Microsoft account (or create one if you don’t already have one). Once signed in, the “Create your Azure free account” page loads. Enter your details (such as name, address, etc):
Once completed and submitted, I was taken to a page that asked for my credit card details:
In this case, it’s referring to my “free account” because that’s the option I selected earlier. If you’re interested in Microsoft’s free SQL database offer, that’s a different thing altogether (and you will be able to activate that option later, when you create your SQL database).
The credit card is required, even if you use the free plan with no intention of paying for anything. Microsoft’s reasoning for this is that it’s used for identity verification purposes. Importantly, as the message states, you won’t be charged unless you move to pay-as-you-go pricing.
Once you’ve submitted those details you may be prompted to enable 2 factor authentication on your account.
Next, I was welcomed by the “Welcome to Azure” page:
Clicking “Get started” brought me to a very short (optional) survey page that asks how I want to use Azure. You can skip this if you want. After that there’s the option of taking a tour that shows you how to get started. You can click “Start the tour” or “Skip”.
In any case, clicking “Start the tour” led me to the Azure portal:
And there you have it. You have successfully created an Azure account.
If you’re planning on taking advantage of Microsoft’s free SQL database offer, start by creating a database (click “SQL databases”). You should see a special offer asking you if you want the free database offer. Click “Apply offer” and continue creating the database.
Check out my article Create an Azure SQL Database for Free for a step by step guide, along with screenshots.