SQL Server Migration to Azure

Migrate database workloads to the cloud to utilise the scalability and cutting-edge features of the Azure data platform, enabling your organisation to dynamically react to ever changing business data needs.

Migrating database systems to the Azure data platform, either as an infrastructure as a service or platform as a service model, can solve many of these common on-premises limitations. Azure provides the features and opportunities to implement a complete data modernisation strategy, as well as the capability for organisations to still support critical legacy systems. The freedom to migrate all data services to the cloud or keep some systems on-premises with a hybrid architecture, means there is opportunity for all, no matter what size the organisation.

The growth of the cloud and the speed with which new features are released provide an opportunity that all organisations should look to take advantage of. By leveraging reduced costs, reduced management, cutting edge resiliency and security features, and the effortless manner with which organisations can scale data systems to their changing business needs, companies can stay ahead of the competition.

The Solution

Compatibility: Azure provides three different database offerings giving your organisation confidence of 100% compatibility with existing application databases. Lift and shift existing SQL workloads to Azure SQL Server virtual machines or fully modernise your data estate by implementing cutting edge Azure SQL Databases or Azure Managed Instances. There are multiple ways for an organisation to utilise cloud features and update their data platform, whilst still being able to support legacy applications.

Scalability: Azure SQL Server offerings provide the ability to dynamically scale resources up or down depending on the compute requirements of application workloads. This not only provides cost savings by billing only for the resources consumed, but allows your organisation to react instantly to unforeseen customer usage patterns and business demands.

Availability: Depending on the resource implementation, Azure provides up to a 99.995% availability guarantee with a recovery point objective of just 5 seconds and a recovery time objective of just 30 seconds. Most of the availability features are implemented as standard, requiring little to no administration or setup.

Performance: The Azure data platform provides multiple compute sizes for every possible workload and multi-terabyte storage sizes. With Azure SQL Database, single databases are assigned dedicated compute resources to provide guaranteed levels of performance.

Microsoft SQL Server databases are typically the most important part of business applications, storing critical data and providing analytical insights that enable organisations to understand and react quickly to market changes. For this reason, database systems must be highly available, performant, scalable and secure- functions which many organisations struggle to fully implement with their on-premises database infrastructure. High initial hardware costs, licensing restrictions, unknown security vulnerabilities and unforeseen workload changes can limit the ability of an organisation to adapt and stay competitive.

Whether you are looking to optimise and modernise your existing SQL Server data platform, or looking to expand your existing cloud environment, our team of specialists can help. Our consultants continually design, deploy, and integrate new Azure data services, whilst our Technical Service Centre can support them around the clock.

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SQL Server consists of multiple core components: Database engine, SQL Server Integration Services, SQL Server Analysis Services and SQL Server Reporting Services. Each of these components can be migrated to Azure by way of different deployment targets depending on the desired service model.

What Can be Migrated?

The biggest challenge for most organisations when moving SQL Server systems to Azure is understanding three key questions; where to start, what needs to be migrated and how should it be done? Ultima can help you answer these questions and support your data modernisation project by providing unrivalled technical services and project management for your Azure database migration. Each migration project follows an eight-step process:

Modernise your SQL Server Workloads with Ultima:

Project Initiation Ultima will work with your key stakeholders to define the scope of the migration project, baselining the requirements and identifying the key deliverables.

Discovery and Assessment

This involves a deep dive understanding of your SQL Server estate, assessment of existing components and understanding your requirements and busines needs. Databases are assessed for compatibility to the desired target models in Azure and any auxiliary components (SSIS, SSRS, SSAS) are reviewed.

Design and Planning Using the assessment data, Ultima can architect the target model for your business choosing the correct Azure resources, sizes, security configurations and availability requirements, as well as providing costs estimates and plan your migration.

Build and Test Using a range of tools and automation techniques, Ultima can support the deployment of resources into Azure and test systems to confirm functionality and performance is as expected.

Pilot Using a subset of SQL resources, the migration approach and the operation of resources is confirmed to operate as expected, refining the architecture where necessary.

Migration This is the most critical part of any project and Ultima can help you schedule database migrations within your organisation to provide a seamless transition to Azure with minimal downtime and disruption to your business and end users.

Service Introduction Ultima can provide training, support and documentation of the new platform as well as guidance on optimisation and cost control.

Project Closure and ongoing support

Following a successfully migration, Ultima can support your business once you are fully utilising the cloud, providing further migration services to modern infrastructure platforms such as PaaS or with implemen-tation of new services and features available in the cloud. Ultima can also provide Managed Services of your IT infrastructure, provided by our state-of-the-art Technical Support Centre.

Small Engagement: 20+ Days• 5 SQL Server Instances to IaaS or• 10 SQL Server Databases to PaaS• Maximum 500 GB total data size

Example Engagement Duration

Why Ultima?

Medium Engagement: 50+ Days.• 15 SQL Server Instances to IaaS or • 30 SQL Server Databases • SSIS/SSAS/SSRS migration• Maximum 1 TB total data size

Large Engagement: 150+ Days• 30 SQL Server Instances to IaaS or• 100 SQL Server Databases• SSIS/SSAS/SSRS migration