This service migrates SQL Server databases to Azure SQL Database — Microsoft's PaaS database service — for organizations moving SQL data to Azure SQL Database rather than to SQL Server in an Azure VM. IT Partner assesses compatibility, migrates by a downtime-based BACPAC export/import or by transactional replication for minimal downtime, and validates that the databases are available from Azure without data loss. The service is billed at $175 per hour, runs about 1 week, and is managed by Mike Mackey.
IT Partner migrates SQL Server databases to Azure SQL Database with the objective of making the databases available from Azure without data loss. Azure SQL Database is a platform-as-a-service target, which is what makes the compatibility assessment matter: features that assume a full SQL Server instance — SQL Server Agent jobs, cross-database queries in a single database, and certain instance-level objects — do not carry over one-for-one, so IT Partner assesses each database with Microsoft's current migration assessment tooling before choosing the method. This service is specifically for migration to Azure SQL Database. If you want to migrate a SQL Server database to SQL Server running in an Azure VM — keeping the full database engine under your control — IT Partner's SQL Server Database Migration to SQL Server in Azure VM service covers that scenario.
Confirm scope, stakeholders, the databases in scope, downtime tolerance, target Azure SQL Database configuration, required access, and the criteria for selecting the migration method.
Confirm that current backups or recovery points exist for the source databases, agree on the backup approach before migration work, and define the rollback expectation if validation fails.
Run the compatibility assessment, prepare and apply any required Transact-SQL fixes, and begin the selected migration method — BACPAC export/import for Method 1, or replication topology configuration and subscriber initialization for Method 2.
Complete the import or final synchronization, coordinate the agreed cutover, update application connection strings where in scope, and confirm the Azure SQL Database is serving the migrated data.
Validate database availability from Azure, support application smoke testing, address migration-related issues identified during validation, and document final status, acceptance evidence, outstanding issues, and budget in the closeout report.
IT Partner migrates SQL Server databases to Azure SQL Database so the databases are available from Azure without data loss. The service includes a compatibility assessment with Microsoft's current migration assessment tooling, Transact-SQL fixes where needed, migration execution by BACPAC export/import or transactional replication, application connection string changes for the replication method, and a project closeout report.
The service is billed at $175 per hour, with the total effort scoped to your environment, and typically runs about 1 week. The rate and scope are confirmed in writing before work begins.
This service is specifically for migrating SQL Server databases to Azure SQL Database, Microsoft's PaaS database service. If you need the full SQL Server engine on a VM you manage — for SQL Server Agent jobs, cross-database queries, or instance-level features — IT Partner's SQL Server Database Migration to SQL Server in Azure VM service covers that scenario.
Two approaches: Method 1 is a downtime-based migration — compatibility assessment, Transact-SQL fixes, a transactionally consistent copy, BACPAC export, and import into Azure SQL Database. Method 2 uses SQL Server transactional replication with Azure SQL Database as a subscriber to keep downtime to a short cutover window. IT Partner recommends the method during discovery based on downtime tolerance, database size, and replication eligibility, and you approve the choice.
For Method 1, IT Partner assesses database compatibility, prepares required Transact-SQL fix scripts, makes a transactionally consistent copy of the source database, applies fixes to the copy, exports it to a .BACPAC file, and imports it as a new Azure SQL database. This method is simpler, but it can require substantial downtime because the source database must stop changing — or changes made during migration must be applied manually afterward.
For Method 2, IT Partner configures Azure SQL Database as a subscriber to the SQL Server database being migrated and runs transactional replication so changes to published data and schema flow to Azure SQL Database. At cutover, replication stops and application connection strings are pointed to Azure SQL Database. This method is more complex but substantially reduces downtime; it requires a primary key on every published table.
It depends on the method. Method 1 requires a planned outage while the database copy is exported and imported. Method 2 keeps the source online and concentrates the impact in a short cutover window when replication is stopped and connection strings are switched. The expected window for your environment is confirmed during planning.
Yes. IT Partner assesses each database with Microsoft's current migration assessment tooling before migration, because Azure SQL Database does not support every SQL Server instance-level feature one-for-one. Where fixes are needed, IT Partner prepares Transact-SQL scripts and applies them to the database copy before import.
Yes — for Method 2, changing your applications' connection strings to point to the Azure SQL Database is part of the cutover. For Method 1 or complex application dependencies, the connection change scope is confirmed during planning.
The client provides a dedicated point of contact, coordinates outside vendor resources and schedules, configures networking equipment such as load balancers, routers, firewalls, and switches, provides required remote or physical access to systems and facilities, and performs internal and external DNS changes as required.
The acceptance criterion is that SQL databases are available from Azure without data loss. For Method 1, IT Partner works from a transactionally consistent copy with the source quiesced or later changes applied manually; for Method 2, replication keeps Azure SQL Database synchronized until a validated cutover. Backup points are defined before migration work begins.
The migrated databases in Azure SQL Database and a project closeout report showing final project status, evidence of meeting acceptance criteria, outstanding issues, and final budget. More extensive documentation — such as a runbook or cutover and rollback plan — can be provided for an additional fee.