Managed SQL Server — for the data that runs Pakistan's enterprises.
Deploy any edition of Microsoft SQL Server — Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, or Developer — inside KHI-1 and ISB-1 in minutes. Automated patching, backups, monitoring, and 24/7 DBA support. Hosted entirely inside Pakistan.
One service. Every edition. Every workload SQL Server can run.
QCloud Microsoft SQL Server is a fully managed relational database service that lets you deploy any SQL Server edition in minutes — without touching a single OS, license, or backup script. We handle provisioning, patching, monitoring, automated backups, and infrastructure scaling. You focus on schemas, queries, and applications.
Three ways to deploy SQL Server on QCloud.
Pick the model that fits your application — switch later without rewriting a single query.
Single Database
One isolated database, fully managed. Perfect for cloud-native apps and microservices.
- ▸Per-database compute & storage
- ▸Serverless and provisioned tiers
- ▸Built-in auto-tuning + HA
Single Database · Specs
Managed Instance
Near 100% SQL Server compatibility. Lift-and-shift on-prem workloads with minimal change.
- ▸Full instance-scoped features (Agent, CLR, linked servers)
- ▸Native VNet integration
- ▸Cross-database queries supported
Managed Instance · Specs
Self-Managed on ECS
Full OS-level access. Run any SQL Server build with custom config and extensions.
- ▸100% feature parity with on-prem
- ▸Custom OS, kernel modules, agents
- ▸Per-second billing on QCloud ECS
Self-Managed · Specs
Every edition. Same managed control plane.
From free Express for small workloads to Enterprise for mission-critical. Deploy any edition; switch later without re-platforming.
Express
Lightweight, free edition for learning, dev, and small workloads.
Web
Cost-effective edition for public-facing web workloads.
Standard
Core data management and BI for departmental and mid-tier apps.
Enterprise
Unlimited scale, advanced HA, and full BI. Mission-critical workloads.
Developer
Full Enterprise features for development and testing — non-production only.
Six advantages. Built in. Not bolt-on.
From request to running database — in under 10 minutes.
Skip the OS install, patch cycle, and license procurement. Pick edition, region, size — go.
Scale on demand
Up, down, out — vCores, RAM, storage. Hot-resize where supported.
Bring your license
Use your existing SQL Server licenses with no extra fees. Pay monthly on a leasing model.
Pay only for what you use — billed by the hour.
No FX exposure. No upfront capex. Reserved-instance discounts up to 40% for steady workloads.
Always On
Multi-AZ failover, Always On AG support, incident management included.
Eyes on, around the clock
Database response time, processes, query plans — monitored every minute.
Inside Pakistan, always
Every byte, every backup, every replica — stays in PTCL's Tier-3 data centers.
Engineered for the workloads that cannot fail.
Every QCloud SQL Server deployment includes a primary, a synchronous replica, a backup vault, and a cross-region DR replica — by default.
Compare every edition. Side by side.
What you actually get with each SQL Server edition on QCloud — limits, features, pricing model.
| Capability | Express | Web | Standard | Enterprise | Developer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max database size | 10 GB | 524 PB | 524 PB | 524 PB | 524 PB |
| Max memory (buffer pool) | 1 GB | 64 GB | 128 GB | OS max | OS max |
| Max compute (cores) | 4 | 16 | 24 | OS max | OS max |
| Basic Availability Groups | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Always On Availability Groups | — | — | — | ✓ (8 replicas) | ✓ |
| Transparent Data Encryption | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Always Encrypted | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Online indexing & schema change | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| In-memory OLTP | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Polybase, R/Python, columnstore | — | — | Limited | ✓ | ✓ |
| QCloud automated backup + PITR | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 24/7 monitoring & DBA support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Licensing model on QCloud | Free | Web SPLA | License Included or BYOL | License Included or BYOL | Dev license (non-prod) |
Need a custom edition or version? → Talk to a database architect
Where Pakistani enterprises run SQL Server on QCloud.
Core banking on a sovereign engine
Run core ledger, payments, and KYC workloads inside SBP residency rules — with Enterprise-grade AG, encryption, and audit.
SAP / Oracle EBS replacements on MSSQL
Migrate on-prem ERP databases with Managed Instance — full feature parity, lift-and-shift.
Catalog + orders, scaled for peak
Standard edition with read replicas absorbs flash-sale surges; auto-tuning keeps queries fast.
EMR + clinical data, encrypted end-to-end
Always Encrypted columns, TDE, and audit logging support HIPAA-style controls — all in-country.
Sovereign data, immutable audit
PECA-aligned air-gapped deployments. 7-year audit log retention. Zero offshore exposure.
Per-tenant isolation, one console
Elastic pools for multi-tenant SaaS. Per-database limits. Pay only for active tenants.
From AWS RDS, Azure SQL, or on-prem — in weeks, not quarters.
A structured migration journey, run by QCloud's in-country database team. Most workloads cut over in 4 to 8 weeks.
Discovery & Sizing
- · Source inventory
- · Dependency map
- · Edition + tier match
- · Cost model
Initial Sync
- · Native backup/restore
- · Log shipping
- · Distribution Manager
- · Continuous replication
Switch Traffic
- · App connection-string update
- · DNS swap
- · Final delta sync
- · Rollback plan ready
Tune & Harden
- · Query plan review
- · Index recommendations
- · Backup verification
- · DR drill
Five layers of protection. Every layer on by default.
Restore to any minute in the last 35 days.
Automated backups, continuous transaction log shipping, and point-in-time restore — built in, no per-restore charges.
Automated backups
Daily full + hourly differentials + minute log backups, encrypted at rest.
35-day PITR
Point-in-time recovery to any minute in the retention window.
Cross-region copy
Optional automatic backup copy to ISB-1 for sovereign DR.
Pakistan's in-country SQL Server experts — included.
Every QCloud SQL Server subscription includes 24/7 access to certified DBAs. No offshore queues, no language barriers, no time-zone delays.
Database Incident Response
Critical DB incidents triaged in under 15 minutes. Root-cause analysis and recovery handled by senior DBAs — included in your subscription.
Patch & Configuration Management
Security patches, CU updates, and configuration drift handled inside your maintenance window. Reviewed with you. Rolled back if needed.
Performance Tuning
Query plan reviews, index recommendations, statistics maintenance, and capacity planning — proactive, not reactive.
Flexible Pricing To Suit All Sizes Of Business.
Our Pay-as-you-go and reservation plans are affordable. All prices listed — no FX exposure, no hidden charges. Get a quote tailored to your SQL Server workload today.
Pay As You Go
Pay only for the SQL Server resources you consume — billed by the hour. No upfront commitment. Scale up or down any time without penalty.
Saving Plan
Commit for 1 or 3 years and save significantly on your SQL Server spend. Choose from No, Partial, or Full upfront payment — our sales team will tailor the plan for you.
Pricing Calculator
Estimate your SQL Server costs before you commit. Configure edition, compute, storage, HA model and licensing — get an accurate quote in seconds.
The day SQL Server decides to misbehave — which side do you want to be on?
- ✕Wait weeks for licenses, hardware, and DBA hires.
- ✕Patches scheduled by you — at 2 AM, every time.
- ✕Backups are a Veeam config and a hope.
- ✕Cross-region DR requires hand-built scripts.
- ✕Billed in USD. FX hits your invoice every month.
- ✕Support tickets queue offshore. P1 in 4-6 hours.
- ✕Data resides outside Pakistan — regulator-flagged.
- ✓Edition + tier picked in 5 minutes. Running in 10.
- ✓Patches handled by us — in your maintenance window.
- ✓Backups, PITR, and cross-region copy are default-on.
- ✓Always On AG + ISB-1 DR replica — provisioned with the DB.
- ✓No FX exposure, ever.
- ✓In-country DBAs. P1 picked up in under 15 minutes.
- ✓100% data residency. PECA + SBP aligned by default.
Most teams retire their self-managed SQL Server in the first quarter.
Everything you wanted to ask about QCloud SQL Server.
A managed Microsoft SQL Server platform hosted inside Pakistan. We handle provisioning, patching, monitoring, backups, and DBA support. You focus on schema and queries. Available editions: Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Developer.
SQL Server 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2025 — across all editions. We track Microsoft's official lifecycle and apply security patches automatically in your maintenance window.
Three — Single Database (per-DB compute), Managed Instance (full instance-scoped features), and Self-Managed on ECS (full OS access). Pick by workload; switch later without rewriting queries.
Two options: License Included (we provide the SQL Server license, billed hourly) or Bring Your Own License / BYOL (use your existing licenses, save up to 55%). Developer and Express editions are free.
Inside Pakistan — in PTCL's Tier-3 / Rated-3 certified data centers in Karachi (KHI-1) and Islamabad (ISB-1). Every byte of data, every backup, every replica — stays in-country.
99.99% on single-AZ Standard tier; 99.999% on multi-AZ Always On AG deployments. SLA breaches are credited automatically — no support ticket required.
Automated daily full backups + hourly differentials + continuous transaction-log backups. Point-in-time restore up to 35 days. Cross-region backup copy to ISB-1 is optional and included on Enterprise tier.
Yes — our migration team handles it. Native backup/restore, log shipping, transactional replication, or DMS — whichever fits. Most migrations complete in 4-8 weeks with minimal downtime.
Yes — by default. TDE at rest using HSM-backed keys, TLS 1.3 in transit, optional Always Encrypted for column-level secrets. Keys never leave Pakistan. BYOK supported.
24/7 in-country DBA support — incident response, patch management, performance tuning, and capacity planning. Average P1 response under 15 minutes. Quarterly tuning reviews included.
By the hour. Compute, storage, and license (if License Included) all on one invoice. 1-year and 3-year reservations available with up to 40% discount.
Yes — every new account gets $100 in QCloud credit and a 1-month free trial of SQL Server, ECS, EVS, and VBS. No credit card required.
Deploy your first SQL Server database — on the house.
$100 in QCloud credit. 1-month free trial of SQL Server, ECS, EVS, and VBS. A real database architect on the call from day one. BYOL onboarding included for teams migrating from AWS RDS or Azure SQL — all on us.
No credit card required · Local billing · Production workloads welcome