Are you planning a move to the cloud? Cloud migration shouldn’t feel like a leap into the unknown, yet many organizations struggle with Azure SQL migrations due to a lack of a clear roadmap. In this presentation, originally delivered at the PASS Data Community Summit 2025, we provide a practical, step-by-step framework to help you assess, plan, and execute your migration with confidence. What You Will Learn: Deployment Strategies: Understand exactly when to use SQL Virtual Machines, Managed Instances, or Azure SQL Databases for your specific workloads. Cost & Performance Optimization: Deep dive into purchasing models and service tiers, including a decision framework for DTU versus vCore. 5-Phase Methodology: A comprehensive guide covering discovery, assessment, migration, cutover, and optimization. Tools & Demos: Insights into Azure Data Studio’s migration extension, Azure Storage, and the Azure Database Migration Service (for both online and offline scenarios). Based on real-world experience from over 100 successful customer migrations, this guide is designed to equip IT leaders and DBAs with the knowledge to avoid common pitfalls and deliver measurable cloud value. About the Presenter: JP Chen is a Senior Director and Global Practice Leader of SQL Server Services at Datavail. With over 10 years of Azure expertise and authorship of "Migrating to Azure SQL: A Practical Hands-on Guide for Cloud Migration Success," JP has guided 100+ organizations through complex cloud transformations. 📥 View the full guide and additional resources here: https://www.datavail.com/resources/migrating-to-azure-sql-a-practical-guide-for-cloud-migration-success/

1. Datavail
Director & Global SQL Server Services
Practice Leader
He/Him
JP Chen

2. /in/jp-chen
datavail.com
Azure Expertise & Cloud Migration
10+ years of Azure expertise. Helping 100+
customers with their cloud migrations to Azure SQL.
Azure Expertise & Cloud Migration
JP is the author of “Migrating to Azure SQL: A Practical
Hands-on Guide for Cloud Migration Success,” along
with many white papers and blogs on Datavail.com
Chen
He/Him
Director & Global SQL Server
Services Practice Leader
Datavail

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Delivering a
superior approach
to leveraging data
through application
of a tech-enabled
global delivery
model & deep
specialization in
databases, data
management, and
application
services.
$25
M
Invested
in IP that improves the
service experience and
drives efficiency
18
+
Years
building and operating
mission critical data and
application systems
Global Team
1,300 Employees
staffed 24x7, resolving over
2,000,000 incidents per year

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Solutions Partner
Data & AI
Digital & App Innovation
Infrastructure
Microsoft Preferred Partner
Microsoft Fabric Featured Partner
Oracle to Azure Migration & Modernization
PostgreSQL Azure Migrations, Apps, & AI
Microsoft Specializations
Migrate Enterprise Apps to Microsoft Azure
Analytics on Azure
Infra and Database Migration to Azure
(2025)
Data Warehouse Migration (2025)
Kubernetes on Azure (Future)
DevOps with GitHub on Azure (Future)
Azure Marketplace Offerings
Oracle on Azure Assessment
Azure Data Lake Roadmap &
Implementation
Azure Synapse Implementation
SQL Server Migrations to Azure
Cassandra to Cosmos DB Assessment
Oracle to Azure Migration
MongoDB to Azure Cosmos DB Migration
MySQL Assessment & Implementation
Guidewire CDA Connector for Azure
Managed Partner (Growth)
Funding Programs - ECIF and AMM &
Azure Innovate Eligible
ISD (MCS) Approved Sub-Contractor –
Commercial & Federal
Co-sell Ready Program
We’ve Done this Before…
1000+
Consultants focused on Cloud
deployments and managed services
18+
Years Cloud
Experience
500+
Customers with
average
lifespan of
7+ years
550+
Microsoft
consultant
certifications
Years of Data Platform
& AppDev Experience
10+

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Introduction to Cloud Computing and Azure SQL
Microsoft Azure’s Global Infrastructure
Purchasing Models in Azure SQL
Service Tiers in Azure SQL
Azure SQL Deployment Options
Migration Journey to Azure SQL
Azure Storage for SQL Data Pros
Azure Database Migration Service (DMS)
Azure SQL Migration Extension for Azure Data Studio

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Level: 100 to 200
Prerequisites:
Cloud experience is helpful
but not required.

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Cloud Computing Microsoft Azure Azure SQL

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Azure Data Center Azure Region
Availability Zone
Availability Zone Availability Zone
Azure Region Pair
Availability Zone
Availability Zone Availability Zone
Availability Zone
Availability Zone Availability Zone

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DTU vCore

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General Purpose Business Critical Hyperscale
(Balanced Cost/
Performance)
(High Performance,
HA)
(Scales Storage
and Compute
Independently)

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SQL Virtual
Machines
Managed
Instances
Databases

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Create an Azure SQL
Database
Connect to the Azure
SQL Database from
on-prem.

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1. Discover 2. Assess 3. Migrate 4. Cutover 5. Optimize

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SAS
Queues
Files
Tables
Blobs
Azure Storage
Blob Container Securing Access

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Create an Azure Storage
Account
Create a Blob Container
Backup an on-premises
database to the Azure
Blob Container

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Azure Database
Migration Service
(DMS)
Homogeneous vs
Heterogeneous
Migrations
Online and Offline
Migrations

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Azure Data Studio

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Collect
Performance
Save Results Analyze and
Recommended
SKUs
Reviews
and Address
Findings
Execute and
Migration

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Collect Performance
Save Results
Analyze and Recommend
the SKUs
Review and Address
Findings
Execute the Migration

21. Put the SQL
Pieces Together
Fill out your session
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Wednesday
5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Caricature Artist at the
Datavail Booth
Thursday
11:30 a.m.
Surviving a Ransomware
Attack: DQL Database
Administrator Strategies
Jaysukh Ramani,
Senior DBA – SQL Server
Thursday
2:30 p.m.
AI Impacts on the DBA:
SQL Server Monitoring
with Datavail TechBoost
Mehul Joshi,
Senior Director and Practice Leader
– SQL Server Services

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/in/jp-chen
datavail.com