Accelerate SQL Server Migration to Azure with Azure Arc
We’re excited to announce a new migration experience in Azure Arc to simplify and accelerate SQL Server migration. This new experience, now in preview, is powered by Azure Database Migration Service and it offers seamless, end-to-end migration capabilities including continuous migration assessments, simplified provisioning, and real-time database replication, assisted by Copilot in Azure. What once took months can now be accomplished in just days, with confidence, continuity, and control.
End-to-end migration simplified
If you’ve been using SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc, you’re likely familiar with continuous migration assessments that offer target recommendations, technical readiness, and cost estimates. Now, we’re taking the next step forward by introducing automated, end-to-end migration capabilities in SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc.
Once you’ve assessed the Azure readiness of your SQL Server instances, you can now select or provision your Azure targets such as Azure SQL Managed Instance, without jumping between various tools or places in the Azure portal. This streamlined workflow eliminates context switching and simplifies provisioning. You’ll see estimated costs during the provisioning process, giving you clear visibility and confidence to plan ahead. Plus, you can take advantage of the free Azure SQL Managed Instance offer to evaluate at no cost, making it easier to get started.
Real-time database replication is also integrated into the new migration experience. This new method, built on top of distributed availability groups, enables near real-time database replication from SQL Server to Azure SQL Managed Instance. Setting up real-time replication manually can be a complex multi-step process, but Azure Arc simplifies the entire process while providing best-in-class monitoring. If a customer decides to go back to on-premises, Azure SQL Managed Instance Link also supports seamless failback (if the source SQL Server instance is SQL Server 2022 and above).
Migrate with confidence
The new experience empowers customers to migrate with confidence. Before officially cutting over, you can validate that the target Azure SQL Managed Instance meets your business requirements by using the target instance as a read-only replica.
In addition, the client connection summary feature in SQL Server, enabled by Azure Arc, automatically and continuously captures and displays which clients are connecting to each instance. This replaces the previous manual and time-consuming process of tracing applications to their databases, giving customers clear visibility and helping ensure a smooth transition to Azure.
Get started today
If you’re looking to simplify and accelerate your migration to Azure, this new connected experience can help you get there faster—with less downtime, lower overhead, and more confidence.
- Learn more on our Tech Community blog.
- Learn more about the new migration experience in Azure Arc on Microsoft Learn.
- Onboard your SQL Server to Azure Arc today.
- Learn more about continuous migration assessment from SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc?
SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc extends Azure services to SQL Server instances hosted outside of Azure: in your data center, in edge site locations like retail stores, or any public cloud or hosting provider.
Azure Arc enables you to consistently manage SQL Server instances across hybrid and multicloud environments, bringing cloud innovations such as automated updates, unified policy, best practices assessment, and advanced security to SQL Server running anywhere.
2. What’s the continuous migration assessment from Azure Arc?
Microsoft has announced the general availability of continuous migration assessments for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc, marking a step forward in simplifying cloud migration planning. This release introduces a redesigned assessment experience that provides deeper insights and more intuitive navigation, especially for single Arc-enabled instances.
One of the standout features is the integration of retail pricing visibility across all Azure savings options, including Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHB), reserved instances, and Azure savings plans. These pricing insights are now available for Azure SQL Database, SQL Managed Instance, and SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (VMs), helping users make informed cost decisions.
3. What is Azure Database Migration Service?
Azure Database Migration Service is a fully managed service designed to seamlessly migrate databases to Azure with minimal downtime. It supports both homogeneous migrations (such as SQL Server to Azure SQL) and heterogeneous migrations (such as Oracle to Azure PostgreSQL).
4. What are the migration methods in the new migration experience?
The following methods are built into the migration process. Azure SQL Managed Instance link enables near real-time database replication using distributed availability groups. Log Replay Service uses SQL Server log-shipping technology and requires a brief planned cutover. Review the Microsoft Learn page to understand the differences between these two migration methods and choose the option that best suits your needs.
