client layer: The layer that resides closest to your application, and that your application uses to communicate directly with SQL Azure. The client layer can reside on-premises in your data center, or it can be hosted in Windows Azure.
infrastructure layer: The layer that represents the IT administration of the physical hardware and operating systems that support the services layer.
master database: In SQL Azure, a database for performing server-level administration by using a single database. The master database keeps track of which logins have permission to create, alter, or drop databases or other logins. You must be connected to the master database whenever you CREATE, ALTER, or DROP logins or databases. The master database also provides access to the firewall rules and SQL Azure usage metrics that you can view.
platform layer: The layer that includes the physical servers and services that support the services layer. The platform layer consists of many instances of SQL Server, each of which is managed by the SQL Azure fabric.
service administrator: The person responsible for setting up and managing your SQL Azure service.
server-level principal: An account that is similar to the sa login in SQL Server. During the provisioning process, SQL Azure creates a login for you that is the server-level principal of your SQL Azure server. The SQL Azure server-level principal account has permission to manage all server-level and database-level security.
services layer: The layer that functions as a gateway between the client layer and the platform layer, where the data resides. The services layer provides three functions: provisioning, billing and metering, and connection routing.
sharding: TBD
SQL Azure Database: A cloud-based relational database platform built on SQL Server technologies. By using SQL Azure, you can easily provision and deploy relational database solutions to the cloud. You can also take advantage of a distributed data center that provides enterprise-class availability, scalability, and security with the benefits of built-in data protection and self-healing.
SQL Azure fabric: A distributed computing system composed of tightly integrated networks, servers, and storage. The SQL Azure fabric enables automatic failover, load balancing, and automatic replication between physical servers.
SQL Azure Migration Wizard: A wizard that helps you select your SQL objects, create SQL scripts suitable for SQL Azure, migrate data between on-premises SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server 2005 and SQL Azure servers, as well as between two or more SQL Azure databases in the same or different data centers. The SQL Azure Migration Wizard is community-built, and is not supported.
SQL Azure portal: A user interface that you can use to provision servers and logins, and to quickly create databases.
SQL Azure provisioning process: A way of preparing and configuring the hardware and software required to maintain your data at a Microsoft data center. The SQL Azure provisioning model describes the logical hierarchy of your Windows Azure platform account, SQL Azure servers, and databases; by using this process, you can rapidly provision your data storage.
SQL Azure server: A logical group of databases that acts as an authorization boundary and central administrative point for multiple databases. Each SQL Azure server includes logins similar to those in instances of SQL Server on your premises.
sys.bandwidth_usage A view that describes the bandwidth used with each database.
sys.bandwidth_usage
sys.database_usage: A view that lists the number, type, and duration of databases on the server.
sys.database_usage:
tenant: TBD