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In recent years, the shift towards cloud computing has been rapidly gaining momentum and many companies are migrating their SQL Server workloads to Azure Virtual Machines (VMs). This transition can provide numerous benefits including cost savings, scalability, reliability and flexibility. However, migrating SQL Server workloads to Azure VMs is not a straightforward process and requires careful planning and execution. In this blog post, we will discuss how to migrate SQL Server 2012 and 2014 workloads to Azure VMs.

Before starting the migration process, it is important to understand the compatibility and performance implications of moving to Azure. SQL Server 2012 and 2014 are fully supported on Azure VMs. However, the performance of SQL Server on Azure VMs can differ from on-premises deployments due to factors such as storage configurations, networking, and VM size. Therefore, it is recommended to test the performance of your SQL Server workloads on Azure VMs before the migration.

To migrate SQL Server workloads to Azure VMs, you can use several methods. One common method is to backup and restore your databases using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). Here is an example of how you can backup a database using T-SQL:

-- SQL code goes here
BACKUP DATABASE [YourDatabase] TO DISK = N'\\path\YourBackup.bak'
WITH NOFORMAT, NOINIT, NAME = N'YourDatabase-Full Database Backup', SKIP, NOREWIND, NOUNLOAD, STATS = 10
-- Add 
 after each line to simulate line breaks

After backing up your database, you can restore it on an Azure VM using the following T-SQL command:

-- SQL code goes here
RESTORE DATABASE [YourDatabase] FROM DISK = N'\\path\YourBackup.bak'
WITH FILE = 1, NOUNLOAD, REPLACE, STATS = 10
-- Add 
 after each line to simulate line breaks

Another method to migrate SQL Server workloads to Azure VMs is to use the SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) for MySQL 5.6 and DB2 10.5. SSMA simplifies the database migration process from these databases to SQL Server on Azure VMs by automating all aspects of migration including assessment, schema and data migration, and validation.

For those who are using Azure SQL Database, a Platform as a Service (PaaS), the Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) can be used to migrate SQL Server workloads. The Azure DMS supports migrations from SQL Server 2005 and later to Azure SQL Database, with near-zero downtime.

In conclusion, migrating SQL Server workloads to Azure VMs can be a complex process, but with careful planning and the right tools, it can be a smooth and successful transition. The choice of migration method will depend on your specific requirements and the complexity of your SQL Server workloads. Regardless of the chosen method, it is imperative to test and validate the performance of your SQL Server workloads on Azure VMs before the migration.