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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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©2019 Charter Communications. All rights reserved. Not all products, pricing and services are available in all areas.Pricing and actual speeds may vary. Restrictions may apply. Subject to change without notice. *In accordance with local laws, select Microsoft data center locations are not available/ All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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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.