Database Modernization & Migration
Move off legacy SQL Server with minimal downtime, lower licensing cost, and a platform that's easier to run.
By the numbers
- Target platforms
- Azure · AWS
- Migration paths
- 4
- Cutover approach
- Online, low-downtime
Overview
We modernize on-premises and legacy SQL Server estates onto managed cloud databases — Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and Amazon RDS — or re-platform to PostgreSQL and Aurora where it makes sense. Every migration starts with a compatibility and cost assessment, follows a tested runbook with a rollback path, and finishes with performance tuning, security hardening, and monitoring.
Capabilities
What this engagement covers
SQL Server → Azure SQL
Azure SQL Database or Managed Instance, with Azure Hybrid Benefit licensing analysis and DMS-based online migration.
SQL Server → AWS RDS
RDS for SQL Server with license-included or BYOL options, using AWS DMS and native backup/restore.
Heterogeneous Migration
Re-platform to PostgreSQL or Amazon Aurora with schema conversion and code refactoring.
Performance, HA & Security
Query tuning, HA/DR design, encryption, access review, and data classification during the move.
Deliverables
What you'll get
- Database assessment with compatibility findings and TCO / licensing comparison
- Target architecture and migration runbook with cutover and rollback plan
- Validated migration with data integrity checks
- Post-migration tuning, monitoring dashboards, and handover documentation
Process
How we work
- 01
Assess
Inventory databases, dependencies, compatibility issues, and licensing.
- 02
Plan
Choose the target platform, design HA/DR, and write the cutover runbook.
- 03
Migrate
Rehearse, then execute online or offline migration with integrity validation.
- 04
Optimize
Tune performance, right-size compute, and harden security.
FAQs
Common questions
Azure SQL Database or Managed Instance — which do we need?+
Managed Instance offers near-full SQL Server compatibility (SQL Agent, cross-database queries, CLR), so it suits lift-and-shift. Azure SQL Database is better for modern, single-database apps. We recommend based on the assessment.
How much downtime should we expect?+
With online migration and a rehearsed cutover, most databases switch over in minutes to a few hours, depending on size and change rate.
Can we reuse our existing SQL Server licenses?+
Often, yes — Azure Hybrid Benefit and AWS BYOL can significantly reduce cost. We model both options in the assessment.