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Windows to Linux replatforming assistant for Microsoft SQL Server Databases

The Windows to Linux replatforming assistant for Microsoft SQL Server Databases service is a scripting tool. It helps you move existing Microsoft SQL Server workloads from a Windows to a Linux operating system. You can use the replatforming assistant with any Windows Server virtual machines (VMs) hosted in the cloud, or with on-premises environments running Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and later. The tool checks for common incompatibilities, exports databases from the Windows VM, and imports into an EC2 instance running Microsoft SQL Server 2017 on Ubuntu 16.04. The automated process results in a ready-to-use Linux VM configured with your selected SQL Server databases that can be used for experimenting and testing.

Concepts

The following terminology and concepts are central to your understanding and use of the Windows to Linux replatforming assistant for Microsoft SQL Server Databases.

Backup

A Microsoft SQL Server backup copies data or log records from a Microsoft SQL Server database or its transaction log to a backup device, such as a disk. For more information, see Backup Overview (Microsoft SQL Server).

Restore

A logical and meaningful sequence for restoring a set of Microsoft SQL Server backups. For more information, see Restore and recovery overview ( SQL Server).

Replatform

A Microsoft SQL Server database can be replatformed from an EC2 Windows instance to an EC2 Linux instance running Microsoft SQL Server. It can also be replatformed to the VMware Cloud running Microsoft SQL Server Linux on Amazon.

Related services

Amazon Systems Manager (Systems Manager) gives you visibility and control of your infrastructure on Amazon. The Windows to Linux replatforming assistant for Microsoft SQL Server Databases uses Systems Manager to move your Microsoft SQL databases to Microsoft SQL Server on EC2 Linux. For more information about Systems Manager, see the Amazon Systems Manager User Guide.

How Windows to Linux replatforming assistant for Microsoft SQL Server works

Windows to Linux replatforming assistant for Microsoft SQL Server Databases allows you to migrate your Microsoft SQL Server databases from an on-premises environment or from an EC2 Windows instance to Microsoft SQL Server 2017 on EC2 Linux using backup and restore. For the destination EC2 Linux instance, you provide either the EC2 instance ID or the EC2 instance type with the subnet ID and EC2 Key Pair.

When you run the PowerShell script for the Windows to Linux replatforming assistant for Microsoft SQL Server Databases on the source Microsoft SQL Server databases, the Windows instance backs up the databases to an encrypted Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) storage bucket. It then restores the backups to an existing Microsoft SQL Server on EC2 Linux instance, or it launches a new Microsoft SQL Server on EC2 Linux instance and restores the backups to the newly created instance. This process can be used to replatform your 2-tier databases running enterprise applications. It also enables you to replicate your database to Microsoft SQL Server on Linux to test the application while the source Microsoft SQL Server remains online. After testing, you can schedule application downtime and rerun the PowerShell backup script during your final cutover.

The entire replatforming process can also be automated and run unattended. You can run the Systems Manager SSM document AWSEC2-SQLServerDBRestore to import your existing database backup files into Microsoft SQL Server on EC2 Linux without using the PowerShell backup script.

Components

The Windows to Linux replatforming assistant for Microsoft SQL Server Databases script consists of two main components: