Upload DBFile.mdf in App_Data to Azure

Question

I have my ASP.NET MVC 3 project with a local database stored in /App_Data directory. This db is SQLExpress file (*-mdf).

I have my connection string working perfectly in my development CPU, the Connection String is:

data source=.\SQLEXPRESS;initial catalog=CFCBBSecurity;Integrated Security=SSPI;AttachDBFilename=|DataDirectory|\MYFILE.mdf;User instance=true" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"

When I upload it to Azure, using VS 2010, all files are in the server, but the application cannot access the Database.

What should I do, change or update?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

The problem is that you're referencing a local SQL instance (.\SQLEXPRESS, the 'dot' stands for localhost). I'm assuming you are running SQL Server 2005/2008/2012 Express on your machine and that's why this works locally.

But when you deploy your application to Windows Azure, there's no SQL Server installed on that Web Role/Worker Role/Web Site (this would be a bad idea anyways because Web/Worker Roles are not persistent!).

What you'll need to do is sign up for a 'cloud database' like SQL Azure and use that. Or you could host it yourself in a Windows Azure Virtual Machine (which is IaaS, but this involves more work).

If you're building an MVC 3 application I would suggest you simply start with SQL Azure. Here is a tutorial: Running ASP.NET MVC 3 Applications on Azure (note that this tutorial contains screenshots of the old portal).