Database backups and restores are a fundamental (and critical) skill-set of any MS SQL Server DBA. A solid backup plan is a requirement for most on-premise instances and things are no different in the cloud. However, SQL Server database backups in Azure, in either an IaaS or PaaS implementation, introduce several distinct features which may help optimize a backup plan. Of course, there are also a few drawbacks to consider and work around. This presentation will focus on the options and cautions around MS SQL database backups and restores in Azure and touch on a few related topics, like Azure Storage, along the way.Go ahead and get started.