How to plan and manage automated database migrations to Microsoft Azure

Database migrations are an essential part of the broader cloud migration process for many companies.  Recently, I’ve had a lot of opportunities to plan, manage, and automate these types of migrations—and help companies reach their objectives in the cloud.

What is involved in a successful database migration?

I start by talking with the client and discussing their objectives. I always try to find out what the client is trying to accomplish and educate them on options in Azure. A lot of times they want their on-premises servers and assets migrated to the cloud.

But the most obvious approach is not always the best option. Sometimes the best option is Platform as a Service (PaaS). For example, instead of deploying another VM to host your database server, utilize Azure SQL, which provides the database while Microsoft manages the back-end. This has several potential benefits including saving money.

The next step would be to figure out how much data they have and determine the confidentiality of the data, Data with Personally identifiable information, or financial information needs to be handled carefully and considered during the migration.