Migrate SQL to Azure SQL

Assess Your Current SQL Environment

Use the Data Migration Assistant (DMA) to:

Analyze your on-prem SQL Server or VM-based SQL.
Identify compatibility issues, unsupported features, and migration blockers.
Generate a report on readiness for Azure SQL Database or Azure SQL Managed Instance.

Tool: Microsoft Data Migration Assistant (DMA)

Choose Your Azure SQL Target

Option	Best For	Description
Azure SQL Database	Single apps / SaaS	Fully managed, no SQL Agent, ideal for app databases
Azure SQL Managed Instance	Enterprise apps	Near 100% SQL Server compatibility, supports SQL Agent, cross-db queries
SQL Server on Azure VM	Lift-and-shift	Full SQL Server in an IaaS VM — same as on-prem

Prepare Your Azure Environment

Create an Azure SQL Database / Managed Instance in the Azure portal.
Configure firewall rules and private endpoints to allow secure access.
Set up Azure AD authentication or SQL logins.
Ensure network connectivity (VPN, ExpressRoute, or public endpoint if needed).

Migrate the Data

Option A — DMA + BACPAC (Offline Migration)

Use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to export a .bacpac file.
Upload it to Azure Blob Storage.

Import the .bacpac into Azure SQL Database via the Azure Portal or PowerShell.

New-AzSqlDatabaseImport -ResourceGroupName "MyRG" -ServerName "myazuresql" -DatabaseName "MyDB" `
-StorageKeyType "StorageAccessKey" -StorageKey "<key>" -StorageUri "https://storage.blob.core.windows.net/backups/MyDB.bacpac" `
-AdministratorLogin "adminuser" -AdministratorLoginPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString "P@ssword1" -AsPlainText -Force)

Option B — Azure Database Migration Service (DMS)

Best for online / minimal downtime migrations.
Supports continuous data sync from on-prem SQL to Azure SQL.
Steps:
1. Deploy DMS in Azure Portal.
2. Create a migration project (source: SQL Server, target: Azure SQL).
3. Configure schema & data sync.
4. Run initial load.
5. Cut over when ready.

Tool: Azure Database Migration Service

Post-Migration Tasks

Validate data integrity (row counts, checksums, stored procedures).
Update connection strings in applications.
Configure:
- Automatic tuning
- Auditing & Threat Detection
- Performance monitoring (Azure Monitor / Query Insights)
- Backups and retention policies