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How to stop billing charges for a SQL Azure database
 
There is no way to suspend the state of a SQL Azure Database to avoid billing 
charges. You can suspend an Azure virtual machine and by doing that avoiding 
hourly charges, but you cannot to the same with a SQL Azure Database which is 
charged hourly per database as mentioned 
here. 
The following are a few alternatives to reduce or stop charges: 
	  | To reduce charges, change the pricing tier of the SQL Azure Database to 
	Basic. |  
	  | To stop billing charges, export the SQL Azure Database to Azure storage 
	(as explained 
	
	here) and then delete the SQL Azure Database and restore it when 
	needed. |  
	  | To stop billing charges, delete your SQL Azure Database and later use 
	point in-time restore to restore your database depending depending of the 
	pricing tier associated with the database. Databases with pricing tier Basic 
	can be restored within 7 about days after deleting it, while the retention 
	period for Standard is 14 days and for the Premium pricing tier is currently 
	35 days. |  
 
  
  
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