When to use SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines
Rearchitecting applications to run in the cloud can be a significant undertaking requiring time, money, and the appropriate skills. If you want to move existing on-premises apps to the cloud, but don’t have the necessary resources to rearchitect your applications, consider SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines to get there quickly and easily. If you’re still not sure you’re ready to move to the cloud, download Future-Proof Your Data Infrastructure with Azure: A Business Case for Database Administrators.
The benefits of SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines
SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines is optimized for lift-and-shift cloud migrations, so you don’t have to rearchitect your application to move it to the cloud. You save time and money because you don’t have to change the presentation, application, or data layers of your existing solution. Nor do you have to procure and manage any on-premises hardware. Instead, you can focus your time and effort on migrating your applications to Azure and making any necessary performance optimizations in the new environment.
In addition to facilitating a smooth cloud migration, SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines gives you the benefit of complete control over the SQL Server instance and underlying operating system. This option uses full versions of SQL Server, and you have full administrative rights to the SQL Server engine. This gives you a lot of flexibility to build a highly customized system. You can, for example, choose when to start maintenance, change the recovery model to simple or bulk-logged, and pause or start the service at your discretion.
One thing to keep in mind is that you also have to maintain the virtual machine. While features like automated patching and automated backups reduce your operations overhead, you’ll want to make sure you have the internal resources to manage your virtual machines.
When you pay as you go, SQL Server virtual machines also simplify your licensing costs.
When to use SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines
When deciding whether to use SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do your existing or new applications require large databases?
- Do your existing or new applications require access to all features in SQL Server or Windows/Linux?
- Do you want to avoid the time and expense of acquiring new on-premises hardware?
- Do you want to migrate existing on-premises applications and databases to Azure as-is?
If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, then SQL Server Virtual Machines are a good fit for your use case. However, don’t discount SQL Server virtual machines if none of these scenarios fit. You can create a SQL Server virtual machine with the right version, edition, and operating system. All recent versions and editions of SQL Server are available, and you have the option of running SQL Server on either Windows or Linux. Virtual machines are therefore a good option for a variety of SQL Server workloads.
With SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines, there’s no need to make significant changes to your apps. You can migrate easily and quickly, so you can start leveraging the cloud’s flexibility, scale, and performance.
To learn more about moving your databases to the cloud, download Future-Proof Your Data Infrastructure with Azure: A Business Case for Database Administrators.
