SQL Server Migration

End upgrades and enable digital innovation by bringing SQL Server to Azure

The case for SQL migration

SQL Server has long served as a vital tool for database management, and for a good reason. It has been historically reliable and ubiquitous, meaning organizations can feel confident that it will not only work but that there will be a large talent pool of people who can manage it.

While Microsoft continues to improve the capabilities of SQL Server with each release, such as adding Apache Spark to SQL Server 2019, it comes with one significant drawback. The version of SQL Server any given organization is using will eventually have an end of support date and the organization will need to either upgrade again or migrate to a cloud SQL database.

While upgrading typically means gaining new database capabilities, it also requires a great deal of effort from database administrators to execute correctly. On the other hand, migrating to Azure SQL Database provides constant and automatic updates, eliminating the need to upgrade SQL Server ever again.

man pointing to cloud

Migrate to Azure SQL Database and never upgrade again

Instead of upgrading to the latest version of SQL Server and resetting the countdown until the next time they need to upgrade, organizations can migrate their workloads to Azure Database or Azure Synapse Analytics. Migrating allows organizations to capture many of the same features and capabilities they’re already familiar with while eliminating the need to update SQL Server on those workloads ever again.

Organizations won’t need to upgrade again because cloud-based databases like Azure Database and Azure Synapse receive near-constant updates made possible by CI/CD in the cloud. Automated updates provide an added benefit of providing organizations with immediate access to new features as they become available.

What are some other reasons to migrate?

Leverage modern analytics

Solve challenges with AI

Migrate cost-effectively

modern analytics

Leverage modern analytics

Organizations seeking to take advantage of the insights and capabilities provided by modern, cloud-based analytics can simplify implementation by hosting SQL in the cloud.

Azure solutions for SQL Server can eliminate challenges common with integrating cloud analytics with on-premises SQL Server environments, such as data gravity, by providing highly available database resources and flexible APIs.

Solve challenges with AI

AI has become an increasingly popular way to solve a wide range of business challenges across virtually every industry. Some examples include using AI to monitor foot traffic, detect product stockouts and mitigate shrink, improve quality control, enable automation, and enable better marketing personalization.

Data is a crucial requirement to make these solutions work. The always-on, always-available nature of a cloud-based SQL database like Azure Database and Azure Synapse Analytics simplifies the implementation of AI.

Dashboard showing people detection and analytics with computer vision at the edge
increasing value

Migrate cost-effectively

Migrating SQL Server to the cloud doesn’t need to be costly or time-consuming. Microsoft and partners like Neal Analytics have the tools and expertise to support rapid, low-cost migrations to Azure.

In addition to enabling low-cost migrations, Azure Database is also the lowest cost cloud SQL database. In fact, the 3-year cost of running Azure SQL Database is up to 86% less than the equivalent solution provided by AWS.

Learn more

Interested in learning more about migrating SQL Server to Azure? Neal has several options to get started depending on where you are in your migration journey: 

  • Register for an Azure Immersion Workshop  hosted by Neal Analytics to learn more about modernizing data in the cloud, 
  • Explore an Azure Migration Engagement to start planning your SQL Server migration to Azure, or 
  • Contact us  with any other inquiry or to execute your migration. 

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