NAVISITE QUICK TIPS - Spectrum Enterprisenaviuk.defaktolabs.com/.../SQL_Migration_QuickTips.pdf ·...
Transcript of NAVISITE QUICK TIPS - Spectrum Enterprisenaviuk.defaktolabs.com/.../SQL_Migration_QuickTips.pdf ·...
01 navisite.com
01 navisite.com
opportunities and more. And with
SQL databases, it’s easy to overlook
the misconfigurations in your current
environment—they may be tolerable
on-premises, but will be costly in the
pay-as-you-go world of the cloud,
and could break certain functionality.
Because the SQL opportunity is
so big, Microsoft has ramped up
the assistance available through its
Cloud Solution Provider program.
This includes designating a select
group as Azure Expert Managed
Service Providers (MSPs). Navisite is
a member of the Expert MSP group,
which numbers under 50 worldwide,
and our expertise specifically with
SQL migrations was a big factor in
our selection.
WHAT’S BEHIND YOUR SQL MIGRATION? Reasons organizations choose
to migrate their SQL solutions
to Azure include:
• Running SQL Server 2008,
for which support is coming
to an end (as of July 2019).
• Supporting new cloud-based
applications and data-driven
strategies.
• Getting the instant scalability
that only the cloud can deliver.
• Streamlining the replication of
databases locally and regionally
to take advantage of Azure’s
extensive global footprint.
• Offloading common management
operations to Azure and/or an
MSP such as Navisite.
Get a quick overview of the opportunities and potential pitfalls of migrating your SQL databases to Azure and
how to benefit from the support of a Microsoft Expert Managed Service Provider like Navisite.
More than 40 years after its first appearance, SQL is standing tall as the top query/programming language. Given its entrenched position in the $30-billion relational database market, it’s a safe bet you won’t see it knocked off its pedestal anytime soon.
What you will see is a wholesale
migration of SQL resources to the
cloud as more organizations put aside
their security worries, embrace data-
driven strategies, and turn to public
cloud solutions such as Microsoft
Azure to make it all happen.
If you’re contemplating a SQL
transition to Azure, take advantage of
these quick tips to learn more about
the opportunities and potential pitfalls,
and why relying on a Microsoft Expert
Managed Service Provider like Navisite
may just be the right choice.
THE SQL MIGRATION CHALLENGE While migrations of SQL
infrastructures to the public cloud
are increasingly common, that
doesn’t make them easy. There
are different ways to configure
your SQL infrastructure in Azure,
multiple migration tools, varying
SLA options, a range of discount
NAVISITE QUICK TIPS: Migrating SQL Databases to Microsoft Azure
• Getting access to the latest
in-memory technologies and
AI-driven SQL features.
When we work with clients to
manage their transitions from SQL
to Azure, knowing the objectives is
critical both for choosing a migration
path and for measuring its success.
SAVING MONEY Whether it’s cutting your current
SQL management costs or achieving
new IT/business objectives cost-
effectively, the cloud offers
numerous ways to economize.
Consulting firm IDC estimates the
benefits of a fully managed SQL
Database at up to a 406% ROI over
on-premises and hosted alternatives,
making it an economical choice
for your data.1
In addition, Microsoft offers a range
of discounts and added support
options, including:
• Extended Support: Get free
Extended Security Updates
for SQL 2008 and 2008 R2 for
three years after the deadline.
• Azure Hybrid Benefit: Use your
existing on-premises SQL licenses
to save up to 55% on Azure.
• Reserved Instances: Committing up
front to using a range of specified
Azure VMs (based on attributes and
quantity) can save you up to 72%
versus pay-as-you-go prices.
• VM Images: Making use of images
in the Azure Marketplace instead
of building your own is another
way to save on licensing costs.
1 IDC, The Business Value of Microsoft Azure SQL Database Services, March 2015
Oracle) on-premises—while still benefiting from all
that the cloud can give you—consider SQL Server on
Azure VMs. This is Azure’s Infrastructure as a Service
option. It lets you lift and shift your current applications
and gives you full control over the operating system
and instance configuration (e.g., you control when to
update/upgrade the operating system and database
software or install additional software such as
antivirus). It requires more work and more expertise
(and more resources) on your part, but it keeps you
in the IT driver’s seat. For moving an existing SQL
implementation as is, this is a top choice.
Navisite has worked with organizations that have
chosen both routes. We’ve also developed workarounds
to help overcome the limitations and/or challenges that
arise on either path.
Azure SQL Database: If you want to keep things
as simple as possible and are comfortable with less
control, look at Azure SQL Database. This is Azure’s
DBaaS/PaaS multitenant solution, designed to reduce
the resources you need to invest in thorny tasks like
apportioning databases. But agreeing to that bargain
means, for example, that you may not be able to
do custom administration tasks that could improve
workload performance. Also, plan on having some
storage limitations and making do without certain
features that are included in your on-premises solution.
In general, for small to midsize databases, web-based
applications and specifically new development, Azure
SQL Database is often a great option.
SQL Server on Azure VMs (IaaS): If your goal is to
achieve the kind of control you now have with SQL
Server (or a non-Microsoft SQL solution, such as
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SQL SERVER 2008 TO AZUREIf your organization is running SQL Server 2008 and SQL 2008 R2 workloads, time is running out. Support for SQL is coming to an end in July 2019, which means so are the security updates and support thereafter. Organizations’ teams and database administrators who want to stay protected and compliant should start planning their cloud migration sooner rather than later. Azure SQL offers a pathway to ease the transition.
If the thought of meeting the SQL end-of-support deadline sends you into a panic, take comfort. With Azure, you can migrate applications running on SQL 2008 and 2008 R2 as they are, with extended security updates to protect them. Then upgrade or modernize them in the cloud when you’re good and ready.
Additionally, Azure SQL Databases can be configured to scale up or down on the fly — from one server to thousands as demand
fluctuates — with no application downtime. To ensure maximum business continuity, Azure SQL Databases allow you to easily manage and monitor business-critical functions while offering automated backups and replication. [Copywriter’s note: I don’t have the technical proficiency to address this client edit and am not sure how to adjust the language to fix it.
As your app runs, Azure SQL Databases dynamically learn and adapt to improve performance, reliability and data protection. Azure SQL Databases also play well with others, including the preferred tools and platforms you already use and know. And built-in security features keep you compliant with the most stringent regulations.
Bottom line: Azure provides a great option to ease your end-of-support concerns for SQL 2008, and the right Azure partner like Navisite can help you determine the best path.
DON’T GO IT ALONEGiven the complexities, challenges and pressures associated with Azure migration, it’s no wonder many organizations seek help rather than going it alone. Ideally, the partner you work with should have the experience and expertise to accelerate your move to Azure as efficiently as possible, fill your IT skill gaps, help you develop (and stick to) budgets as well as schedules, and tailor a solution that fits your unique business needs.
When it comes to partners, you essentially have three choices.
SYSTEM INTEGRATORS MIGRATE THEN LEAVE
If all you need is someone to migrate your workload and infrastructure to Azure, then sure, a Systems Integrator (SI) might do the trick. But once the migration is done, they’re out. SIs don’t provide the ongoing management and support to make sure your Azure cloud solution is working the way it should to save you money, keep your data secure, and align with your technology and business goals. If you have questions, need an issue resolved or want to know how your Azure solution is performing, you’re on your own.
MASS MARKET OUR WAY OR NO WAY
Mass market services providers like Rackspace may have the resources to handle your Azure migration. But their sheer size makes them inflexible and unresponsive. A large provider will expect you to conform to their systems, processes and solutions, regardless of what’s best for your business. This leaves you with an Azure solution that’s ill-fitted to your unique needs and requirements. You’ll end up doing a lot of the heavy lifting yourself, or at the very least, making the migration harder than it needs to be.
MANAGED CLOUD SERVICE PROVIDERS FULL-CIRCLE AZURE
The best Azure partner is one who brings a full range of Azure services — from evaluation to design to implementation to management to support. It’s also important to find a flexible partner who will customize an Azure cloud solution that adapts to your unique business requirements and needs. Managed cloud service providers (MCSPs) like Navisite fit this mold.
SQL PaaS OR IaaS Another big decision that we focus on right away when embarking on an SQL migration is the various tradeoffs between
Azure SQL Database (Azure’s DBaaS/PaaS) and SQL Server on Azure VMs (Azure IaaS):
Maximizing your opportunities to save money in Azure takes experience. Programs such as Reserved Instances require
that you have a thorough understanding of your specific requirements—compute, storage, time of day, seasonal peak
needs, etc. Get it right, and the savings can be significant. Get it wrong, and you can actually end up paying more. An MSP
such as Navisite can help you maximize ways to win and minimize any potential losses.
KNOW WHAT YOU’RE MIGRATING In planning your SQL cloud implementation, your first
impulse might be to start planning your ultimate cloud
build-out. When we work with organizations, we get
them to resist that impulse. Focusing first on the ultimate
build-out might have been the process you followed for
an on-premises installation (to accommodate the long
lead times for approvals, acquisition and implementation),
but that’s not the way things are done in the cloud.
Instead, our first step is to look under the hood of your
existing applications to see how efficiently they’re running.
Start flagging all those instances of inefficient configuration
and bad coding that create resource hogs. When you’re
paying for every byte and every transaction in the cloud,
these are the kinds of things that are going to cost you.
We work with you to map your processes, look at
throughput and resource consumption per request and
identify your dependencies. Even if you choose not to
refactor these configurations now, having this information
will equip you to understand your consumption hotspots
and make better cost-control decisions later.
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SQL SERVER 2008 TO AZUREIf your organization is running SQL Server 2008 and SQL 2008 R2 workloads, time is running out. Support for SQL is coming to an end in July 2019, which means so are the security updates and support thereafter. Organizations’ teams and database administrators who want to stay protected and compliant should start planning their cloud migration sooner rather than later. Azure SQL offers a pathway to ease the transition.
If the thought of meeting the SQL end-of-support deadline sends you into a panic, take comfort. With Azure, you can migrate applications running on SQL 2008 and 2008 R2 as they are, with extended security updates to protect them. Then upgrade or modernize them in the cloud when you’re good and ready.
Additionally, Azure SQL Databases can be configured to scale up or down on the fly — from one server to thousands as demand
fluctuates — with no application downtime. To ensure maximum business continuity, Azure SQL Databases allow you to easily manage and monitor business-critical functions while offering automated backups and replication. [Copywriter’s note: I don’t have the technical proficiency to address this client edit and am not sure how to adjust the language to fix it.
As your app runs, Azure SQL Databases dynamically learn and adapt to improve performance, reliability and data protection. Azure SQL Databases also play well with others, including the preferred tools and platforms you already use and know. And built-in security features keep you compliant with the most stringent regulations.
Bottom line: Azure provides a great option to ease your end-of-support concerns for SQL 2008, and the right Azure partner like Navisite can help you determine the best path.
DON’T GO IT ALONEGiven the complexities, challenges and pressures associated with Azure migration, it’s no wonder many organizations seek help rather than going it alone. Ideally, the partner you work with should have the experience and expertise to accelerate your move to Azure as efficiently as possible, fill your IT skill gaps, help you develop (and stick to) budgets as well as schedules, and tailor a solution that fits your unique business needs.
When it comes to partners, you essentially have three choices.
SYSTEM INTEGRATORS MIGRATE THEN LEAVE
If all you need is someone to migrate your workload and infrastructure to Azure, then sure, a Systems Integrator (SI) might do the trick. But once the migration is done, they’re out. SIs don’t provide the ongoing management and support to make sure your Azure cloud solution is working the way it should to save you money, keep your data secure, and align with your technology and business goals. If you have questions, need an issue resolved or want to know how your Azure solution is performing, you’re on your own.
MASS MARKET OUR WAY OR NO WAY
Mass market services providers like Rackspace may have the resources to handle your Azure migration. But their sheer size makes them inflexible and unresponsive. A large provider will expect you to conform to their systems, processes and solutions, regardless of what’s best for your business. This leaves you with an Azure solution that’s ill-fitted to your unique needs and requirements. You’ll end up doing a lot of the heavy lifting yourself, or at the very least, making the migration harder than it needs to be.
MANAGED CLOUD SERVICE PROVIDERS FULL-CIRCLE AZURE
The best Azure partner is one who brings a full range of Azure services — from evaluation to design to implementation to management to support. It’s also important to find a flexible partner who will customize an Azure cloud solution that adapts to your unique business requirements and needs. Managed cloud service providers (MCSPs) like Navisite fit this mold.
MANAGING YOUR SQL MIGRATION Juggling the considerations and priorities that go
into planning an SQL migration can be overwhelming.
Navisite is committed to making it as easy as possible.
Our Azure experts will work with you on a comprehensive
plan to migrate your SQL databases, including the target
platform, tools and approach to be used and timing. This
groundwork enables us to understand everything from
stakeholder functionality requirements and goals to
budgets, schedules and beyond.
We also understand something that others don’t:
when it comes to successfully transitioning to the
cloud, every organization needs a custom solution.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Navisite leverages the proven best practices for each
use case. We also have the know-how to address
migration challenges that most organizations lack either
the staff or experience to deal with to ensure that your
organization’s migration to the cloud is a success.
Navisite offers managed Azure services in which all
aspects of configuration, security and management
are handled by experienced Azure professionals. This
alleviates workloads on already-taxed IT teams, allowing
them to focus on critical business growth objectives.
And we follow it up with the post-migration care
and monitoring that are essential for you to continue
operating at peak performance.
Once planning and design are complete, Navisite
executes the plan and leverages our expertise to
efficiently complete the migration. We provide end-to-
end project management, giving you full visibility into the
project’s status and progress throughout the migration.
Visit our website or call us at (888) 298-8222 to learn how to take full advantage of Navisite’s SQL-to-Azure services.
KNOW YOUR SLAs In migrating SQL applications to the cloud, uptime is going
to be a top priority, so it’s important to know the different
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for Azure SQL Database
(PaaS) or SQL Server running on Azure VMs (IaaS):
• For Azure SQL Database, Microsoft provides an
availability SLA of 99.99%.
• For SQL Server running on Azure VMs, Microsoft provides
an availability SLA of 99.95%, covering only the VM
itself, not any of the processes (such as SQL Server)
running on the VM, so you’ll need to implement additional
mechanisms to ensure availability of your databases.
• For database high availability (HA), you can configure
one of the supported high-availability options in SQL
Server, such as Always-On Availability Groups. This
doesn’t provide an additional SLA but allows you
to achieve >99.99% database availability, albeit
at a significant additional cost.