Limitations of SQL Managed Instance enabled by Azure Arc

This article describes limitations of SQL Managed Instance enabled by Azure Arc.

Back up and restore

Automated backups

  • User databases with SIMPLE recovery model are not backed up.
  • System database model is not backed up in order to prevent interference with creation/deletion of database. The database gets locked when admin operations are performed.

Point-in-time restore (PITR)

  • Doesn't support restore from one SQL Managed Instance enabled by Azure Arc to another SQL Managed Instance enabled by Azure Arc. The database can only be restored to the same Arc-enabled SQL Managed Instance where the backups were created.
  • Renaming databases is currently not supported, during point in time restore.
  • No support for restoring a TDE enabled database currently.
  • A deleted database cannot be restored currently.

Other limitations

  • Transactional replication is currently not supported.
  • Log shipping is currently blocked.
  • All user databases need to be in a full recovery model because they participate in an always-on-availability group

Roles and responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities between Microsoft and its customers differ between Azure PaaS services (Platform As A Service) and Azure hybrid (like SQL Managed Instance enabled by Azure Arc).

Frequently asked questions

This table summarizes answers to frequently asked questions regarding support roles and responsibilities.

Question Azure Platform As A Service (PaaS) Azure Arc hybrid services
Who provides the infrastructure? Microsoft Customer
Who provides the software?* Microsoft Microsoft
Who does the operations? Microsoft Customer
Does Microsoft provide SLAs? Yes No
Who’s in charge of SLAs? Microsoft Customer

* Azure services

Why doesn't Microsoft provide SLAs on Azure Arc hybrid services? Customers and their partners own and operate the infrastructure that Azure Arc hybrid services run on so Microsoft can't provide the SLA.