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Home/Services/SQL Server Database Migration to SQL Server in Azure VM (with Server Upgrade)
Migration

SQL Server Migration to Azure VM — Upgrade & Move Databases

IT Partner migrates SQL databases from your own SQL Server to SQL Server running in an Azure virtual machine and upgrades SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2012, or SQL Server 2014 to the current supported version of SQL Server in the process. The method is a controlled backup-and-restore move: databases are backed up and consistency-checked, a new Azure VM with the current SQL Server version is deployed, files are transferred, and the new installation is configured and validated. This service requires downtime, which IT Partner works to minimize. It is billed at $175 per hour, runs about 1 week, and is managed by Mike Mackey.

Timeline 1 weekService owner Mike MackeyMicrosoft Azure
01 — Overview

What this engagement is

IT Partner migrates SQL databases to an Azure VM and upgrades SQL Server along the way: source installations of SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2012, or SQL Server 2014 land on the current supported version of SQL Server running in an Azure virtual machine. Because the target is SQL Server on a VM — not a PaaS database service — you keep the full database engine, SQL Server Agent, and instance-level control, with the operating system managed by you. The work includes preparing and consistency-checking the databases, creating a virtual machine with the current supported version of SQL Server, setting up connectivity, copying database files to the VM, configuring the new SQL Server installation, and validating that the databases are available from Azure.

02 — Outcomes

Success criteria

01SQL databases are available from Azure without data loss.
03 — Deliverables

What you receive

✓SQL databases migrated to Azure VM.
✓SQL Server upgraded to the current supported version of SQL Server.
✓New SQL Server installation configured.
✓Project closeout report indicating the final project status, including evidence of meeting acceptance criteria, any outstanding issues, and the final budget.
04 — Plan

How the work unfolds

Kickoff meeting

Confirm scope, stakeholders, the databases in scope, the target Azure VM approach, licensing model, maintenance window, and required access.

Review SQL Server and Windows Server

Review the source SQL Server and Windows Server configuration, versions and editions, database inventory and sizes, SQL Agent jobs, logins, linked servers, application dependencies, backup posture, and connectivity requirements to Azure.

Start deployment

Back up and consistency-check the source databases, create the Azure virtual machine with the current supported version of SQL Server, establish connectivity, and transfer backup files to the VM.

Finalize deployment

Restore and upgrade the databases on the new SQL Server installation, configure the instance, and coordinate the agreed cutover with application owners.

Verify and fix issues, if any

Validate that the databases are available from Azure, support application validation by the client, address migration-related issues within scope, and deliver the project closeout report.

05 — Before we start

Prerequisites

→An active Azure subscription with permission to create and configure virtual machines, storage, networking, and related Azure resources.
→Administrative access to the source Windows Server and SQL Server environment, including rights to perform backups, run DBCC checks, review SQL Server configuration, and stop or start required services during the maintenance window.
→Source SQL Server version must be within the service scope: SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2012, or SQL Server 2014, with the target as the current supported version of SQL Server confirmed before implementation.
→Current inventory of databases to be migrated, including database names, approximate sizes, recovery models, SQL Server instance names, logins, linked servers, SQL Agent jobs, and application dependencies where applicable.
→Confirmed maintenance window and business approval for the downtime required to perform final backup, restore, upgrade, validation, and cutover activities.
→Sufficient network connectivity between the source environment and Azure, or another approved secure method to transfer backup files to the Azure VM.
→Adequate temporary and permanent storage capacity for SQL Server backups, database files, transaction logs, TempDB, and any intermediate migration files.
→Required SQL Server installation media, licensing approach, product keys, Azure Marketplace image selection, or other entitlement details must be available or confirmed before deployment.
→Application owners or technical contacts must be available to validate application connectivity and functional behavior after the databases are restored in Azure.
→A rollback decision point should be agreed before cutover, including who can authorize rollback if validation fails.
06 — Working together

Who does what

IT Partner

  • Back up all SQL Server database files from the server to be upgraded so you can restore them, if required
  • Run the appropriate Database Console Commands (DBCC) on databases to be upgraded to ensure that they are in a consistent state
  • Disable all startup stored procedures, as the upgrade process will stop and start services on the SQL Server being upgraded.
  • Perform a full database backup to an on-premises location
  • Create a virtual machine with the current supported version of SQL Server
  • Set up connectivity
  • Connect to SQL Server over the Internet or in the same virtual network
  • Copy file(s) to VM
  • Configure your new SQL Server installation

Your team

  • Provide Azure subscription access and required approvals for resource creation, estimated Azure consumption, and network/security configuration changes.
  • Provide administrative credentials or approved delegated access to the source SQL Server, Windows Server, and any required backup or file-transfer locations.
  • Identify the databases, applications, users, and dependencies that are in scope for migration.
  • Provide or confirm SQL Server licensing, Azure Marketplace image selection, or other licensing approach for the target SQL Server VM.
  • Approve the maintenance window and communicate expected downtime to application owners and users.
  • Ensure application owners or business testers are available for post-migration validation.
  • Provide firewall, VPN, DNS, or network-change approvals if required to connect applications or users to the Azure SQL Server VM.
  • Confirm acceptance of the migrated databases after validation, or identify issues for remediation within the agreed engagement scope.
07 — Scope

What's not included

✕More extensive documentation than the project closeout report can be provided for an additional fee.
✕Application code changes, application remediation, or changes required for application compatibility with the upgraded SQL Server version are not included unless separately scoped.
✕SQL query tuning, index redesign, performance optimization, capacity modeling, or workload re-architecture beyond standard migration validation is not included unless separately scoped.
✕High availability, disaster recovery, SQL Server clustering, Always On availability groups, log shipping, replication, or multi-region architecture is not included unless separately scoped.
✕Ongoing SQL Server administration, monitoring, patching, managed services, backup operations, or Azure cost management after project closeout is not included unless separately contracted.
✕Complex network architecture such as ExpressRoute, site-to-site VPN deployment, hub-and-spoke redesign, private DNS redesign, or enterprise firewall implementation is not included unless separately scoped.
✕Migration of non-database application servers, reporting platforms, ETL tools, third-party integrations, or other infrastructure components is not included unless explicitly added to the scope.
✕Data cleansing, schema redesign, consolidation of databases, modernization to Azure SQL Database or Azure SQL Managed Instance, or conversion from non-SQL Server platforms is not included.
✕Remediation of existing database corruption, unsupported SQL Server features, missing backups, insufficient storage, or source-environment health issues may require additional work.
08 — Fine print

Limitations & technical notes

!This service requires some downtime. IT Partner will try to minimize it.
!Stored procedures processed at startup time might interfere with the upgrade process, which is why they are disabled during the migration.
!The plan may vary depending on your needs.
!The upgrade target is the current supported version of SQL Server. Implementation details should be confirmed before work begins.
!Migration duration and downtime depend on database size, backup and restore speed, network throughput, source server condition, and the number of databases and dependencies in scope.
!Compatibility issues may appear after upgrading from older SQL Server versions. Application validation by the client or application owner is required to confirm business functionality.
!Azure VM performance depends on selected VM size, disk type, disk layout, storage throughput, network configuration, and SQL Server configuration.
!The service is intended for database migration to SQL Server running in an Azure VM; migration to Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, or a broader data-platform modernization is a different scope.
!If source databases are very large, have high transaction rates, or require near-zero downtime, additional migration tooling or a separately scoped approach — such as IT Partner's replication-based migration service — may be required.
09 — Questions

Frequently asked questions

What does IT Partner's SQL Server Database Migration to SQL Server in Azure VM service include?

IT Partner migrates SQL databases from your existing SQL Server to SQL Server running in an Azure virtual machine and upgrades supported source versions to the current supported version of SQL Server. The service includes preparing and consistency-checking the databases, creating the Azure VM with the current supported version of SQL Server, setting up connectivity, copying files to the VM, configuring the new SQL Server installation, and verifying the deployment.

How is this SQL Server migration service priced, and how long does it take?

The service is billed at $175 per hour, with total effort scoped to your environment, and typically runs about 1 week. The rate and scope are confirmed in writing before work begins.

Which SQL Server versions can be upgraded as part of this service?

The scope covers upgrades from SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2012, or SQL Server 2014 to the current supported version of SQL Server. The exact target version and edition are confirmed with IT Partner before implementation.

Will there be downtime during the SQL Server migration and upgrade?

Yes. This service requires some downtime because SQL Server services are stopped and started during the upgrade and cutover, and the databases are moved by backup and restore. IT Partner works to minimize the window, and its length depends on database size, transfer speed, and validation time. If you need minimal downtime, IT Partner's replication-based migration service is the alternative to discuss.

What database preparation does IT Partner perform before the upgrade?

IT Partner backs up all SQL Server database files from the server being upgraded so they can be restored if required, runs the appropriate DBCC consistency checks on the databases, disables startup stored procedures that could interfere with the upgrade, and performs a full database backup to an on-premises location.

Does IT Partner create the Azure virtual machine for SQL Server?

Yes. IT Partner creates a virtual machine with the current supported version of SQL Server, configures the new SQL Server installation, and sets up connectivity — over the Internet or within the same virtual network — so applications and users can reach the migrated databases.

Why choose SQL Server on an Azure VM instead of Azure SQL Database?

SQL Server on an Azure VM keeps the full database engine under your control: SQL Server Agent jobs, cross-database queries, instance-level configuration, and OS access all carry over. Azure SQL Database is a PaaS service with a different feature surface and is covered by a separate IT Partner migration service.

What responsibilities does the client have?

The client provides Azure subscription access and approvals, administrative credentials for the source environment, the database and dependency inventory, the SQL Server licensing approach for the target VM, the approved maintenance window and downtime communication, application owners for post-migration validation, network-change approvals, and final acceptance of the migrated databases.

Does this service guarantee no data loss?

The acceptance criterion is that SQL databases are available from Azure without data loss. IT Partner's preparation includes full backups and DBCC consistency checks before migration, a rollback decision point is agreed before cutover, and validation evidence is documented in the closeout report.

Is high availability or disaster recovery included?

No. SQL Server clustering, Always On availability groups, log shipping, replication, and multi-region architecture are not included unless separately scoped. The base service delivers the migrated and upgraded databases on a single Azure VM.

What is not included in this SQL Server migration service?

Application code changes and compatibility remediation, query tuning and performance optimization, high availability and disaster recovery design, ongoing administration and monitoring, complex network architecture, migration of non-database servers, modernization to Azure SQL Database or Managed Instance, and remediation of pre-existing corruption or source-environment health issues. Documentation beyond the closeout report is available for an additional fee.

What documentation is delivered after the project?

A project closeout report stating the final project status, evidence of meeting acceptance criteria, any outstanding issues, and the final budget. More extensive documentation can be provided for an additional fee.

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$175 per hour
1 week
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