Smooth cloud, safe and worry-free operation｜This is the correct way to open SQL Server

SQL Server is an indispensable component for many business applications. However, as related applications continue to go to the cloud, many children's shoes will inevitably encounter some difficult problems, such as:

• I hope to migrate the SQL Server that was originally running locally to the cloud as a virtual machine (cloud host). How to solve the SQL Server license problem in the virtual machine?
• For various reasons, I need to continue to use the old version of SQL Server, but because these versions are older and face EOS (end of support), they can no longer receive security updates and support services. How to solve the security and compliance issues caused by this?

For the deployment of SQL Server software licenses in a shared infrastructure, we must rely on mobile licenses in Software Upgrade Assurance (SA) to achieve. And those old versions of SQL Server facing end of support (EOS), if they want to get the official extended security update, they need an additional cost. So for the old version of SQL Server local license (L Only), is there a simpler way to migrate to the cloud in compliance with the law, but also to obtain security? Azure dedicated hosting can solve these problems well.

Simply put, with the Azure dedicated host , even without SA, you can still transfer the local SQL Server license to Azure for use. And the old version of SQL Server running through the Azure virtual machine can continue to receive Microsoft's extended security updates without additional fees, ensuring that the entire environment can be fully supported and maintain compliance.

It should be noted that these rights are unique to the Azure platform! Next, let's take a look at exactly how to do it.

What is Azure Dedicated Hosting?

Migrating local infrastructure and architecture to the cloud may seem like a daunting task when the purchased local license lacks "software assurance". Because this may bring greater challenges to IT cost structure and corporate compliance. But by using Azure Dedicated Hosting, it is very easy to migrate existing local licenses that do not include "Software Assurance" to the cloud.

Azure Dedicated Hosting is an Azure service that can provide a physical server on which we can host one or more virtual machines. Through physical isolation at the host level, we can become the only tenant on the host; the server is only used by our own workloads. Through the Azure dedicated host, you can directly visualize and control all Azure resources on the host.

Azure dedicated hosting can essentially help us create our own private cloud in Azure. Not only that, we can also use this to control the maintenance of the mainframe, continue to use existing software assets and obtain exclusive continuous support. For example, if you run your own dedicated host on Azure, you can take full advantage of Azure’s exclusive free SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server 2012 extended security updates to extend the life cycle of existing investments.

Azure can provide SQL Server users with unparalleled and unique values, such as Azure Hybrid Benefits (AHB), unlimited virtualization based on dedicated host physical cores, and dual use rights. In this way, we can use existing licenses to cover all vCPUs of dedicated hosts, and then migrate to the cloud at the lowest possible cost.

What are the advantages of Azure Dedicated Hosting?

1. Infrastructure advantages

By establishing hardware isolation at the physical server layer, Azure Dedicated Hosting can provide servers that only allow you to subscribe. You are the only user who uses the computing power and resources on the host. Physical isolation may be a requirement of your company or industry, and it is also one of the ways to ensure the ultimate performance of your workload.

In addition to physically isolating the host and sensing all Azure resources on the host, the Azure dedicated host can also help you selectively combine the number of processors, virtual machine series, virtual machine size, and the type of processor used. Azure can provide a rich and diverse combination of processor types and virtual machine series.

In addition, Azure Dedicated Hosting allows you to directly control the maintenance work on the host. You don’t need to follow the Azure maintenance plan. maintain and control the function. You can delay the platform update and complete the platform update within a 35-day window.

2. Licensing advantages

In addition to infrastructure advantages, Azure Dedicated Hosting also provides a huge cost advantage for users who have purchased a local SQL Server Enterprise Edition license, regardless of whether the purchased license is matched with "Software Assurance." (Note: Software Assurance in license mobility is a necessary condition for deploying local licenses to shared infrastructure, and at the same time, users can enjoy discounts for the maximum use of the local licenses. Azure hybrid benefits, unlimited virtualization and dual use rights that are not provided by the license. To facilitate your migration to the cloud, Microsoft strongly recommends that you purchase "Software Assurance.")

• SQL Server licenses can only be deployed in shared infrastructure if they have license mobility. For details, please refer to SQL Server Authorization White Paper .
• The Azure Hybrid Benefit allows you to migrate on-premises SQL Server licenses that include "Software Assurance" to Azure without additional costs.

Software application licenses can be deployed in two places: host or virtual machine. If you deploy the license on the host instead of on the virtual machine, your license covering all the physical cores can cover all the virtualized cores on the host. For example, instead of purchasing licenses for all 80 virtual cores on the Esv4-Type1 dedicated host, it is better to purchase licenses for 52 physical cores on the host, thereby saving the cost of 28 core licenses. In this way, you only need to purchase 52 physical core licenses to cover up to 80 virtual cores on the host. And this benefit only applies to Azure.

This operation of licensing physical cores to maximize total licensing costs is called unlimited virtualization . Using SQL Enterprise Edition, Software Assurance, and unlimited virtualization, customers can use licenses for physical cores at the host level to create virtual machines up to the maximum number of hosts. All virtual machines created on this host are covered by unlimited virtualization coverage and host-level licenses. Infinite virtualization is only valid for Azure.

In the process of migrating local workloads to the cloud through the "Azure Hybrid Benefit", Azure allows dual use rights. That is, you can continue to use the existing SQL Server license locally for up to 180 days while migrating to the cloud. In this way, there is no need to purchase more licenses to solve the use during the migration, and you can further make full use of your existing licenses. Note: If you want to use dual use rights during migration, you must purchase Software Assurance.

In order to more accurately calculate the savings brought by Azure Dedicated Hosting, Software Assurance and Unlimited Virtualization, please use Azure Pricing Calculator for verification.

3. Expand the advantages of security updates

As SQL Server 2012 is about to end its support, customers who migrate SQL Server 2012 licenses to Azure will receive a free "Extended Security Update", which is an Azure exclusive benefit. "Extended Security Update" is a major security patch for legacy services that still need to run at a high speed after the end of support. After July 12, 2022, the local support for SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 "Extended Security Update" will soon end. You can migrate to Azure, and then enjoy a one-year, free additional SQL Server 2008 "Extended Security" in Azure. renew".

The free "Extended Security Updates" for SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2012 are only valid for Azure. This makes Azure the best choice for running SQL workloads on these two versions.

Migrating to the cloud is not necessarily difficult. Many best practices can help us to make a positive impact on our business while migrating to Azure. With Azure Dedicated Hosting, you can migrate your existing license to Azure. By purchasing "Software Assurance", you will enjoy extreme license discounts and unlock more permissions, such as Azure hybrid benefits, unlimited virtualization, and dual use rights.

SQL Server deployment to the cloud, please look for Microsoft authorized mobility partner . In addition, everyone is welcome to learn more about related topics through the following links:

* Azure Dedicated Host

* Extended security update

* License mobility

* SQL Server authorization white paper

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Q&A

Azure Dedicated Host to migrate SQL Server license to Azure. Do I need to have a Software Assurance Agreement?