>>>Any such provider understands that they have your stuff in their hands - particularly, your data. And they're getting money from you as long as you're with them. Now imagine you wanted to change providers - all you need is a backup of everything, set up shop somewhere else, close account, and you're gone. That's something they won't allow, or will at least make as hard as possible. It may border with blackmail, of course, but it will surely be wrapped in the finest small print you can get for the money.
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>>I do not have this type of policy with the current provider I have. I can cancel at any time, move my hardware and data whenever and wherever I want.
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>How well does the web site work when your hardware is in the back of a truck :-}
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>> This also applies to the other one I have requested info from. Basically, if it is my own property, nobody should interfere with that and block me from getting it back. Imagine I would park my car in your driveway but wouldn't be able to get it back after I visited you and your family. lol
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>I think you are exagerating the difficulties of not having backup capabilities in the traditional sense. One possible reason they have not provided this is that your Azure database is automatically replicated to multiple copies on different machines (which provides protection against hardware failure on any one machine).
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>And as mentioned before you can use data sync services to provide two-way sync between an on-premise machine with SQL server and the SQL Azure databases (which, BTW, is currently free)

and CTP.