How to upgrade our SQL VM to SQL 2022 version and also how entra ids will be enabled

Question

Hello Team,
We are seeing that in S360 that we have to upgrade sql to 2022 and entra id enabled, but when we have cross checked ACCDEV01 machine is showing there but it is a virtual machine not and sql virtual machine i.e. accdev01, could you please let me know what's needs to be done here

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Answer 1

Hi NAVEEN Mittal,

To upgrade the SQL Server version or edition on an Azure Virtual Machine, you need SQL Server installation media and must run an in-place upgrade using SQL Server setup.

First, obtain the SQL Server setup files for the target version or edition, such as SQL Server 2022. You can do this by deploying a new SQL Server VM from the Azure Marketplace with the required version or edition and then copying the folder C:\SQLServerFull, including the product key, to your existing SQL Server VM. If you have Software Assurance, you can download the setup files directly from the Microsoft Volume Licensing Center.

Before starting the upgrade, confirm that your current SQL Server version supports upgrading to the target version. SQL Server upgrades are supported only on specific upgrade paths, and this validation helps prevent compatibility issues.

On the SQL Server VM that you want to upgrade, copy the SQL Server setup files to the folder C:\SQLServerFull. Open this folder and run setup.exe to launch the SQL Server installer.

When the SQL Server Setup window opens, select Maintenance. If you are upgrading the SQL Server edition, choose Edition Upgrade. If you are upgrading the SQL Server version, such as from SQL Server 2019 to SQL Server 2022, choose Upgrade from an earlier version of SQL Server.

Continue through the setup screens, provide the product key if prompted, and review the summary page that shows Ready to Upgrade. Start the upgrade process and allow it to complete. The process may pause temporarily while changes are applied, and the setup window should not be closed during this time.

After the upgrade completes, restart the virtual machine if prompted.

Once the VM restarts, connect to SQL Server using SQL Server Management Studio and run the command SELECT @@VERSION to confirm that the SQL Server version has been upgraded successfully.

Finally, go to the Azure portal, open the SQL Server VM, and update the SQL IaaS Agent Extension to ensure that the licensing information is correctly reflected after the upgrade.

Reference Links:

In‑place upgrade of SQL Server version on Azure VM (official guidance): https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/change-sql-server-version [learn.microsoft.com]

Supported SQL Server version and edition upgrade paths: https://learn.microsoft.com/sql/database-engine/install-windows/supported-version-and-edition-upgra… [learn.microsoft.com]

Upgrade SQL Server edition using Setup (Maintenance → Edition Upgrade): https://learn.microsoft.com/sql/database-engine/install-windows/upgrade-downgrade-sql-server-editio… [learn.microsoft.com]

SQL Server IaaS Agent Extension overview and licensing management: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/sql-server-iaas-agent-extensio… [learn.microsoft.com]

Change or confirm SQL Server licensing model after upgrade (Azure Hybrid Benefit): https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/licensing-model-azure-hybrid-b…

Hope this helps. If you have any follow-up questions, please let me know. I would be happy to help.

Please do not forget to "up-vote" wherever the information provided helps you, as this can be beneficial to other community members.

Answer 2

To upgrade your SQL VM to SQL Server 2022, you should follow these general steps:

1. Backup your databases: Ensure that you take backups of all your databases before starting the upgrade process.
2. Check compatibility: Verify that your current SQL Server version is compatible with SQL Server 2022.
3. Download SQL Server 2022: Obtain the installation media for SQL Server 2022.
4. Run the upgrade: Execute the SQL Server setup and choose the upgrade option. Follow the prompts to complete the upgrade.
5. Post-upgrade tasks: After the upgrade, check the SQL Server logs for any issues and perform any necessary post-upgrade tasks.

Regarding enabling Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) for your SQL Server on Azure VMs, you need to ensure the following prerequisites are met:

1. Use SQL Server 2022.
2. Register your SQL Server VM with the SQL Server IaaS Agent extension.
3. Have a system-assigned or user-assigned managed identity in the same Microsoft Entra tenant as your SQL Server VM.
4. If you intend to use the Azure CLI for configuration, ensure you have Azure CLI 2.48.0 or later installed.

Once these prerequisites are satisfied, you can enable Microsoft Entra authentication by following the specific configuration steps outlined in the documentation.

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References:

• Enable Microsoft Entra authentication for SQL Server on Azure VMs
• Microsoft Entra authentication for SQL Server