Modernize your database with the consolidation and retirement of Azure Database Migration tools
Simplifying Database Migrations with Azure SQL
By migrating their databases to Azure, customers like Ernst and Young are modernizing their data estate and leveraging cutting-edge cloud innovations. However, the migration process can be complex, whether moving within the same database management system (homogeneous) or between different systems (heterogeneous). Microsoft offers a suite of tools for migration to simplify the migration process. To further enhance the user experience, we are streamlining the Azure database migration tools ecosystem. This involves retiring certain overlapping tools to simplify finding the right tool and provide unified migration experiences across all phases of migration. As part of this effort, effective 12/15/2024 we are replacing some tools with unified experiences that offer capabilities across various migration stages in the drive to modernize their data estate and take advantage of innovation in the cloud.
With a refined set of tools, you can confidently plan, assess, and execute your database migration with minimal downtime, ensuring a smooth transition to Azure SQL. Post the 12/15/24, retirement date, Microsoft will stop supporting these tools for any issues that arise and will not issue any bug fixes or further updates. Here is the list of tools that are planned for retirement and Microsoft recommended replacement tools.
| Tool | Retirement Date | Recommend replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Database Migration Assessment for Oracle (DMAO) is an extension in Azure Data Studio that helps you assess an Oracle workload for migrating to Azure SQL and Azure Database for PostgreSQL. | 12/15/2024 | For Azure SQL target assessments switch to using assessment and Azure SQL target recommendation capabilities in SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) for performing Oracle to Azure SQL assessments in your migration journey to Azure SQL. For PostgreSQL target assessments switch to using Ora2PG Migration cost assessment capabilities to get Azure PostgreSQL target recommendations. |
| Database Schema conversion Toolkit (DSCT) is an extension for Azure Data Studio designed to automate database schema conversion between different database platforms. | 12/15/2024 | Switch to using conversion assessment and converting Oracle Schemas capabilities in SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) for Oracle to Azure SQL conversions in your migration journey to Azure SQL. |
| Database Experimentation Assistant (DEA) is an experimentation solution for SQL Server upgrades. DEA can help you evaluate a targeted version of SQL Server for a specific workload. | 12/15/2024 | Use open-source tools like SQLWorkload, which is a collection of tools to collect, analyse and replay SQL Server workloads, on premises and in the cloud. |
| Data Access Migration Toolkit (DAMT) is a VS Code extension that help users identify SQL code in application source code when migrating from one DB to another and identify SQL compatibility issues. Supported source database backends include IBM DB2, Oracle Database and SQL Server. | 12/15/2024 | For identifying the SQL queries in source code, our recommendation is to use Regex or parse the application code either manually or with custom-built tools to identify T-SQL embedded in the application code. For identifying compatibility between your source SQL Server and the target Azure SQL, please use assessment capabilities available in SQL Server enabled by Arc or Azure SQL Migration extension for Azure Data Studio or using Azure Migrate SQL Assessment capabilities. |
Microsoft recommended tools for migration to Azure SQL
With the retirement of Database Migration Assistant for Oracle (DMAO), Database Schema Conversion Toolkit (DSCT), Data Access Migration Toolkit (DAMT), Database Experimentation Assistant (DEA), the Azure database migration tooling ecosystem is greatly simplified. Here is Microsoft’s recommendation for database migration tools for customers moving to Azure SQL.
Homogenous migrations (SQL Server to Azure SQL)
If the SQL Server that will be migrated is already enabled by Azure Arc, you can use Arc capabilities to perform a migration assessment and get optimal Azure SQL Target recommendations. Additionally, SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc provides multiple Azure benefits to SQL Servers outside Azure like automated backups and patching, Microsoft Defender for SQL, inventory of instances and databases, and Entra ID support. By enabling these Arc features, you can leverage cloud automation and security for Azure SQL Server even before you migrate.
If the SQL Server outside Azure is not inventoried yet, you can use Azure Migrate for discovery, assessment and business case to know the right Azure SQL targets for your on-premises SQL Workloads and to get the projected cost savings of migrating to Azure SQL.
To migrate SQL Server into an Azure Virtual Machine with the same configuration as the source, users can use Azure Migrate to perform lift and shift migrations. SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines allows you to easily migrate your SQL Server workloads to the cloud, offering SQL Server’s performance and security along with Azure’s flexibility and hybrid connectivity to address urgent business needs. Later you can evaluate one of the Azure SQL PaaS targets (Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure SQL Database) and modernize to a PaaS service for better cost and workload performance optimizations.
If you have completed an assessment and are ready to move to Azure SQL Managed Instance or Azure SQL Database, you can start your migration journey with Azure Migrate, you can use Azure Database Migration service or Azure SQL Migration extension for Azure Data Studio can be used.
If the SQL Server estate is already inventoried, users can use Azure SQL Migration extension for Azure Data Studio to complete the entire migration journey i.e., perform assessment, get Azure SQL Target recommendations and perform migrations.
Heterogenous migrations (non-SQL Server databases to Azure SQL)
With the availability of Target Assessment and SKU recommendation capabilities in SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) along with existing code conversion and migration capabilities, SSMA becomes a single tool that you need to use to migrate from other source database platforms like Oracle, DB2, SAP ASE, MySQL, Access to Azure SQL or SQL Server.
Learn more about modernizing your databases with Azure
- Get step-by-step guidance for modernizing your Oracle and SQL Server databases to Azure in the Azure Database Migration Guides.
- Read about the Azure Migrate Assessment for Azure SQL to get an overview of SQL Server assessment process using Azure Migrate.
- Know how to complete end to end SQL Server to Azure SQL migration journey with Azure SQL Migration extension for Azure Data Studio.
- Find documentation for SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA), a tool for assessing and automating migration from Microsoft Access, DB2, MySQL, Oracle, and SAP ASE.
