What is the function of Azure SQL Database elastic pools?

The function of Azure SQL Database elastic pools is to share resources among multiple databases. Elastic pools allow you to manage a collection of databases that have varying and unpredictable usage patterns while optimizing performance and resource utilization.

In this context, elastic pools allocate a set of resources (such as DTUs or vCores) to a pool that can be shared across multiple databases within that pool. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for scenarios where some databases may require more resources at certain times and less at others, enabling cost efficiency and performance balancing.

By sharing resources, elastic pools can help to ensure that each database gets the performance it needs without over-allocating resources to individual databases, leading to potential savings compared to provisioning resources for each database separately. This functionality is particularly valuable for application developers and database administrators managing multiple databases with fluctuating workloads.