Microsoft Seeking Cloud Database Customers to Test Project Huron

Microsoft is looking for customers interested in participaintg in an incubator project for online synchronization of databases.

Microsoft has dubbed the effort ‘Project Huron.’ Part of Microsoft’s growing focus on the cloud, Project Huron is aimed at making data synchronization easier within SQL Data Services.

“The goal is to remove the typical complexities (configuration, scalability, security, etc) involved with sharing database information between local databases such as SQL Server and SQL Compact and provide simple UI tools for configuration and sync components developers can embed in existing applications,” according to a blog post by Microsoft.

"We are looking for are any customers that are looking to share SQL Server or SQL Compact databases via the cloud and have an existing project that would warrant this functionality," Microsoft added.

Project Huron is part of Azure, and will allow users to synchronize all local copies of a database with a database in the cloud (SQL Data Services). The cloud database holds the full set of data that is exchanged between the endpoints, and enables users to make changes to the database in the cloud that are then sent to the various endpoints.

According to Microsoft, there are plans in the short-term to offer direct support for SQL Server and SQL Compact, but the company is holding off on support for Microsoft Access for Project Huron at the moment.

Customers interested in participating in the early adopter program can e-mail here.