One of the great benefits of Azure is the ability to achieve significant cost savings with the Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHB). By bringing existing licenses for Windows Server or SQL Server, Partners can capture significant cost savings. Partners can purchase 1 or 3 year licenses for SQL Server, via CSP Software Subscriptions. This gives predictable…
Migration from SQL Server to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance
Today we’ll review how you can migrate databases, running on SQL Server, to a new Azure SQL Database Managed Instance. Azure SQL Database Managed Instance (aka “SQL MI”) is a new deployment model of Azure SQL Database, providing near 100% compatibility with SQL Server database engine with benefits of PaaS. So if you think about…
Datacenter migration updates from Ignite 2018
Microsoft Ignite 2018 took place in Orlando, Florida few weeks ago. It is an annual Microsoft conference for ITPros with more then 700+ sessions and 100+ announcements. Let’s review what announcements are relevant if you are migrating from your datacenter to Azure. First of all, 2 new regions were announced – Norway West and Norway…
Why it is important to create Azure support requests
Why is it so important to create a support request when something is wrong with your workloads in Azure? Imagine a situation – you are a CSP partner, and you’ve just moved workloads of your customer from your or their datacenter to Azure. And in a month something went wrong – VMs are running slow,…
Act now! Migrate your customers running Windows Server and SQL Server 2008/2008 R2 to Azure
End of support is fast approaching for Windows Server and SQL Server 2008/2008 R2. This is a significant opportunity for our partners to migrate those on-premises workloads to Azure. Now is the ideal time to upgrade, modernize and transform to current versions of SQL Server, Windows Server and Azure services for more security, performance…
Moving Windows Server and SQL Server licenses from SPLA to CSP
As you may heard, now CSP partners can buy Windows Server and SQL Server licenses on behalf of their customers directly in Partner Center. It became possible because on new functionality in Partner Center, described here. New functionality allows partners, migrating SPLA-licenses VMs with Windows Server and SQL Server to Azure, to switch from SPLA…
Azure CSP Documentation released
I’m glad to announce that Azure CSP documentation was published today as a part of Azure technical documentation. It is accessible using vanity URL: http://aka.ms/azurecsp or using a full URL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cloud-solution-provider. Azure CSP documentation provides answers to the most popular partner questions about Azure specifics in Cloud Solution Partner model, including: Which Azure services are…
Migrating Datacenter to Azure – Part 2
This post provides an overview of key technical considerations, actionable recommendations and common pitfalls related to migration of workloads from an on-premises datacenter to Microsoft Azure. The business related considerations were addressed within the Migrating Datacenter to Azure – Part 1. Migrating IT systems and infrastructure to a private or public cloud can be a challenge…
“Helping ARM” – Azure Resource Manager step-by-step training
Talking to service providers in CEE it seems that Azure Resource Manager – ARM – the JSON based template language is something everybody interested. Why? There are several reasons for that. ARM is the bridge between awaited Azure Stack and Azure, ARM helps you to create modern templates. Templates = your content to offer and ultimately sell to end users. Remember the Windows…
Migrating Datacenter to Azure – Part 1
Background Quite a while back a Managed Service Provider partner (hereafter referred to as “the MSP”) approached Microsoft regarding migrating one of their datacenter facilities to Azure. The MSP is an experienced managed service provider providing Dynamics ERP, ISV solutions focused on a few industries like automotive, retail and finance. Longer term they are looking…