What's happening to Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server?
APPLIES TO: 
Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server
Hello! We have news to share - Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server is on the retirement path and Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server is scheduled for retirement by September 16, 2024.
As part of this retirement, we will no longer support creating new Single Server instances from the Azure portal beginning January 16, 2023 and Azure CLI beginning March 19, 2024. If you still need to create Single Server instances to meet business continuity needs, raise an Azure support ticket. You will still be able to create read replicas and perform restores (PITR and geo-restore) for your existing single server instance and this will continue to be supported till the sunset date of September 16, 2024.
After years of evolving the Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server service, it can no longer handle all the new features, functions, and security needs. We recommend upgrading to Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server.
Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server is a fully managed production-ready database service designed for more granular control and flexibility over database management functions and configuration settings. For more information about Flexible Server, visit Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server.
If you currently have an Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server service hosting production servers, we're glad to let you know that you can migrate your Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server servers to the Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server service free of cost using Azure Database for MySQL Import, in-place auto-migration or Azure Database Migration Service (classic) . Review the different ways to migrate in the section below.
Migrate from Single Server to Flexible Server
Learn how to migrate from Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server to Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server.
| Scenario | Tool(s) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Offline/Online | Azure Database for MySQL Import and the Azure CLI | Tutorial: Azure Database for MySQL Import with the Azure CLI |
| Offline | Database Migration Service (classic) and the Azure portal | Tutorial: DMS (classic) with the Azure portal (offline) |
| Online | Database Migration Service (classic) and the Azure portal | Tutorial: DMS (classic) with the Azure portal (online) |
| Offline | In-place auto-migration nomination [form] (https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=v4j5cvGGr0GRqy180BHbR4lhLelkCklCuumNujnaQ-ZUQzRKSVBBV0VXTFRMSDFKSUtLUDlaNTA5Wi4u) | In-place auto-migration from Azure Database for MySQL Single to Flexible Server |
For more information on migrating from Single Server to Flexible Server using other migration tools, visit Select the right tools for migration to Azure Database for MySQL.
Note
In-place auto-migration from Azure Database for MySQL – Single Server to Flexible Server is a service-initiated in-place migration during planned maintenance window for select Single Server database workloads. The eligible servers are identified by the service and are sent an advance notification detailing steps to review migration details. If you own a Single Server workload with Basic or GP SKU, data storage used <= 20 GiB and no complex features (CMK, AAD, Read Replica, Private Link) enabled, you can now nominate yourself (if not already scheduled by the service) for auto-migration by submitting your server details through this form. All other Single Server workloads are recommended to use user-initiated migration tooling offered by Azure - Azure DMS, Azure Database for MySQL Import to migrate. Learn more about in-place auto-migration here.
Migration Eligibility
To upgrade to Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server, it's important to know when you're eligible to migrate your single server. Find the migration eligibility criteria in the below table.
| Single Server configuration not supported in Flexible Server | How and when to migrate? |
|---|---|
| Single servers with Private Link enabled | Private Link for flexible server is available now, and you can start migrating your single server. |
| Single servers with Cross-Region Read Replicas enabled | Cross-Region Read Replicas for flexible server is available now, and you can start migrating your single server. |
| Single servers with Query Store enabled | You are eligible to migrate and you can configure slow query logs on the target flexible server by following steps here. You can then view query insights by using workbooks template. |
| Single server deployed in regions where flexible server isn't supported (Learn more about regions here). | Azure Database Migration Service (classic) supports cross-region migration. Deploy your target flexible server in a suitable region and migrate using DMS (classic). |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Why is Azure Database for MySQL-Single Server being retired?
A. Azure Database for MySQL – Single Server became Generally Available (GA) in 2018. However, given customer feedback and new advancements in the computation, availability, scalability and performance capabilities in the Azure database landscape, the Single Server offering needs to be retired and upgraded with a new architecture – Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server to bring you the best of Azure’s open-source database platform.
Q. Why am I being asked to migrate to Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server?
A. Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server is the best platform for running all your MySQL workloads on Azure. Azure MySQL- Flexible server is both economical and provides better performance across all service tiers and more ways to control your costs, for cheaper and faster disaster recovery:
- More ways to optimize costs, including support for burstable tier compute options.
- Improved performance for business-critical production workloads that require low latency, high concurrency, fast failover, and high scalability.
- Improved uptime with the ability to configure a hot standby on the same or a different zone, and a one-hour time window for planned server maintenance.
Q. How soon do I need to migrate my single server to a flexible server?
A. Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server is scheduled for retirement by September 16, 2024, so we strongly recommend migrating your single server to a flexible server at your earliest opportunity to ensure ample time to run through the migration lifecycle, apply the benefits offered by Flexible Server, and ensure the continuity of your business.
Q. What happens to my existing Azure Database for MySQL single server instances?
A. Your existing Azure Database for MySQL single server workloads will continue to function as before and will be officially supported until the sunset date. However, no new updates will be released for Single Server and we strongly advise you to start migrating to Azure Database for MySQL Flexible Server at the earliest. Post sunset date, Azure Database for MySQL Single Server platform will be deprecated and will no longer be available to host any existing instances.
Q. Can I choose to continue running Single Server beyond the sunset date?
A. Unfortunately, we don't plan to support Single Server beyond the sunset date of September 16, 2024, and hence we strongly advise that you start planning your migration as soon as possible. Post sunset date, Azure Database for MySQL Single Server platform will be deprecated and will no longer be available to host any existing instances.
Q. After the Single Server retirement announcement, what if I still need to create a new single server to meet my business needs?
A. As part of this retirement, we will no longer support creating new Single Server instances from the Azure portal beginning January 16, 2023. Additionally, starting March 19, 2024 you will no longer be able to create new Azure Database for MySQL Single Server instances using Azure CLI. If you still need to create Single Server instances to meet business continuity needs, raise an Azure support ticket.
Q. After the Single Server retirement announcement, what if I still need to create a new read replica for my single server instance?
A. You will still be able to create read replicas for your existing single server instance from the Replication blade and this will continue to be supported till the sunset date of September 16, 2024.
Q. Are there additional costs associated with performing the migration?
A. When running the migration, you pay for the target flexible server and the source single server. The configuration and compute of the target flexible server determines the additional costs incurred. For more information, see, Pricing. Once you've decommissioned the source single server post successful migration, you only pay for your running flexible server. There are no costs incurred while running the migration through the Azure Database Migration Service (classic), in-place auto-migration or Azure Database for MySQL Import migration tooling.
Q. Will my billing be affected by running Flexible Server as compared to Single Server?
A. If you select same zone or zone redundant high availability for the target flexible server, your bill will be higher than it was on single server. Same zone or zone redundant high availability requires a hot standby server to be spun up along with storing redundant backup and hence the added cost. This architecture enables reduced downtime during unplanned outages and planned maintenance. In addition, depending on your workload, flexible servers can provide much better performance over single servers, whereby you may be able to run your workload with a lower SKU on flexible servers, and hence your overall cost may be similar to that of a single server.
Q. Do I need to incur downtime for migrate Single Server to Flexible Server?
A. To limit any downtime you might incur, perform an online migration to Flexible Server, which provides minimal downtime.
Q. Will there be future updates to Single Server to support latest MySQL versions?
A. The last minor version upgrade to Single Server version 8.0 will be 8.0.15. Consider migrating to Flexible Server to use the benefits of the latest version upgrades.
Q. How does the flexible server’s 99.99% availability SLA differ from that of single server?
A. Flexible server’s zone-redundant deployment provides 99.99% availability with zonal-level resiliency whereas the single server provides resiliency in a single availability zone. Flexible Server’s High Availability (HA) architecture deploys a warm standby with redundant compute and storage (with each site’s data stored in 3x copies) as compared to single server’s HA architecture, which doesn't have a passive hot standby to help recover from zonal failures. The flexible server’s HA architecture enables reduced downtime during unplanned outages and planned maintenance.
Q. What migration options are available to help me migrate my single server to a flexible server?
A. You can use Azure Database for MySQL Import (recommended) to migrate. Additionally, You can use Database Migration Service (classic) to run online or offline migrations.
Q. My single server is deployed in a region that doesn’t support flexible server. How should I proceed with migration?
A. Azure Database Migration Service (classic) supports cross-region migration, so you can select a suitable region for your target flexible server and then proceed with DMS (classic) migration.
Q. I have private link configured for my single server, and this feature is not currently supported in Flexible Server. How do I migrate?
A. Private Link for flexible server is available now, and you can start migrating your single server.
Q. I have cross-region read replicas configured for my single server, and this feature is not currently supported in Flexible Server. How do I migrate?
A. Cross-Region Read Replicas for flexible server is available now, and you can start migrating your single server.
Q. I have TLS v1.0/1.1 configured for my v8.0 single server, and this feature is not currently supported in Flexible Server. How do I migrate?
A. To support modern security standards, MySQL community edition has discontinued support for communication over Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.0 and 1.1 protocols starting with version 8.0.28. We recommend you upgrade your client drivers to support TLSv1.2 to connect securely to Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server and then proceed to migrate to Flexible Server.
Q. Is there an option to rollback a Single Server to Flexible Server migration?
A. You can perform any number of test migrations, and after gaining confidence through testing, perform the final migration. A test migration doesn’t affect the source single server, which remains operational and continues replicating until you perform the actual migration. If there are any errors during the test migration, you can choose to postpone the final migration and keep your source server running. You can then reattempt the final migration after you resolve the errors. After you've performed a final migration to Flexible Server and the source single server has been shut down, you can't perform a rollback from Flexible Server to Single Server.
Q. The size of my database is greater than 1 TB, so how should I proceed with my migration?
A. You can use Azure Database for MySQL Import (recommended) to migrate which is highly performant for heavier workloads.
Q. Is cross-region migration supported?
A. Azure Database Migration Service supports cross-region migrations, so you can migrate your single server to a flexible server that is deployed in a different region using DMS.
Q. Is cross-subscription migration supported?
A. Azure Database Migration Service supports cross-subscription migrations, so you can migrate your single server to a flexible server that deployed on a different subscription using DMS.
Q. Is cross-resource group subscription supported?
A. Azure Database Migration Service supports cross-resource group migrations, so you can migrate your single server to a flexible server that is deployed in a different resource group using DMS.
Q. Is there cross-version support?
Yes, migration from lower version MySQL servers (v5.6 and above) to higher versions is supported through Azure Database Migration Service migrations.
Q. I have further questions on retirement. How can I get assistance around it?
A. If you have questions, get answers from community experts in Microsoft Q&A. If you have a support plan and you need technical help, create a support request:
- For Summary, type a description of your issue.
- For Issue type, select Technical.
- For Subscription, select your subscription.
- For Service, select My services.
- For Service type, select Azure Database for MySQL single server.
- For Resource, select your resource.
- For Problem type, select Migration.
- For Problem subtype, select Migrating from single to flexible server
You can also reach out to the Azure Database for MySQL product team at AskAzureDBforMySQL@service.microsoft.com.
Warning
This article is not for Azure Database for MySQL - Flexible Server users. It is for Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server customers who need to upgrade to MySQL - Flexible Server.
Visit the FAQ for information about using the Azure Database Migration Service (classic) for Azure Database for MySQL - Single Server to Flexible Server migrations.
We know migrating services can be a frustrating experience, and we apologize in advance for any inconvenience this might cause you. You can choose what scenario best works for you and your environment.
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