Upgrade SQL server 2014 to 2019 after lift and shift to Azure

Question

Hi,

We are planning to do in-place upgrade SQL server from 2014 to 2019.

The server is lift and shifted to Azure so is updating the server same as updating on premise server or is there anything different.

please provide suggestions.

Thank you

Answer 1

Hi @Newtojob

To upgrade SQL Server from 2014 to 2019 on an Azure VM, you can follow the same process as upgrading an on-premises server. However, there are a few additional considerations to keep in mind when upgrading SQL Server on an Azure VM.

First, ensure that you have a backup of your SQL Server databases before starting the upgrade process.

Next, review the upgrade requirements for SQL Server 2019, including hardware and software requirements, and ensure that your Azure VM meets these requirements.

Migration strategy	Description	When to use
Lift & shift	Use the lift and shift migration strategy to move the entire physical or virtual SQL Server from its current location onto an instance of SQL Server on Azure VM without any changes to the operating system, or SQL Server version. To complete a lift and shift migration, see Azure Migrate. The source server remains online and services requests while the source and destination server synchronize data allowing for an almost seamless migration.	Use for single to large-scale migrations, even applicable to scenarios such as data center exit. Minimal to no code changes required to user SQL databases or applications, allowing for faster overall migrations. No extra steps required for migrating the Business Intelligence services such as SSIS, SSRS, and SSAS.

Answer 2

Please use Data Migration Assistant (DMA) to discover issues that can affect that upgrade to a newer version of SQL Server. These are described as compatibility issues and on DMA they are organized in the following categories: Breaking changes, Behavior changes, Deprecated features.

You can download it from here.

Answer 3

@Newtojob Welcome to Microsoft Q&A thanks for posting your question.

To answer your question, it should be the same as on-prem. Make sure the OS is compatible with SQL 2019.

Regards

Geetha

Answer 4

Hi @Newtojob

See: In-place change of SQL Server version - SQL Server on Azure VMs

This article describes how to change the version of Microsoft SQL Server on a Windows virtual machine (VM) in Microsoft Azure.

It is recommended that you check the compatibility certification for the version that you change to so that you can use the database compatibility modes to minimize the upgrade's effect.

Best regards,

Cosmog Hong

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